Unbelievable proposed trade sends Patriots top-5 receiver for next to nothing

We are deep in the midst of mock draft season with plenty of wild trade ideas that analysts and fans play around with to make the time between free agency and the draft more exciting. The Patriots continue to be a part of the more interesting conversations due to their positioning in the top-3 selections and their significant needs on offense.

Plenty has been made about the possibility they trade down with the Vikings, who are rumored to be stocking up picks for the sole purpose of moving into the top-5 picks.

Within those hypothesized scenarios has been the idea of throwing Justin Jefferson into the trade package, a player the Patriots would greatly benefit from acquiring.

It seems unimaginable to even consider the Vikings moving on from arguably the best receiver in the league, but their hesitance and struggle to get an extension done with the 24 year old on top of the money he will be demanding could signify more of a willingness to trade him away.

That's all good and dandy for the Patriots, of course, who have needed a player of Jefferson's caliber for years now. But he's no longer the only name being teased in a proposed trade scenario.

Unbelievable proposed trade sends Eagles A.J. Brown to the Patriots

As if a fantasy world of Jefferson being a Patriot wasn't good enough, Jake Ellenbogen of Bleacher Report's new proposed trade involving A.J. Brown rivals the goodness of that idea.

During a live stream a few weeks ago, Ellenbogen discussed possible trades the Eagles could make with Brown as compensation for their trade partner. Of course, the Patriots were one of the teams in the conversation because they need a clear WR1 and their former connection to him.

The idea of the Eagles trading Brown just two years after acquiring him via trade is crazy enough. But what makes it even crazier is the seemingly little return they get for the 3-time Pro Bowler.

“They only have one first-round pick. They’re not trading away the third overall [pick]. So, a second, a third and a fourth [round picks for Brown]. It’s a lot, but hey, what better way to ring in a new era of Patriots football than to bring in a franchise quarterback at pick three [to pair with Brown].”

He makes a fair point favoring the Patriots, who would strike gold by adding Brown to their developing offense. But what they send for him doesn't seem like nearly enough.

Brown screams first-rounder, and it makes sense the Patriots wouldn't do that in this case, given they hold the third-overall pick. An early second-rounder would be fine, but it doesn't seem like worthy compensation for the Eagles, who would really need to want to move on from Brown for whatever reason to even consider this trade.

There hasn't been much to indicate they have even discussed doing that, so this trade is purely speculative. And as great as it would be for New England, giving up three picks for one player, no matter how good he is, doesn't seem ideal for them, either.

It would be a fantastic way to right a former wrong since it is widely known that Bill Belichick passed on drafting Brown despite the receiver's belief he was going to be a Patriot.

It was certainly a stain on the head coach's legacy, which would be nice to fix now given the position the team is in. But what it would take to accomplish it isn't worth it with how many other holes Mayo and Co. need to address.

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