It would be fair to argue that the Patriots' current offensive roster is vastly improved over what it was just one year ago, and a big reason for that is the free agents they signed across various positions, with a strong emphasis on the offensive line.
Beyond bringing in their next starting left guard, Alijah Vera-Tucker, the emphasis on giving Drake Maye more options for solid blockers at other positions was clear in their signings of fullback Reggie Gilliam and tight end Julian Hill.
It was something to get excited about after seeing the offensive line fall apart in the Super Bowl, and while the group is still expected to be better as a whole, the season-ending injury that Hill suffered during minicamp creates a new weakness that the Patriots can no longer avoid addressing, and that is the tight end room.
Hunter Henry remains the top option for Maye, and while that's far from a problem, the rest of the roster is too inexperienced to be the kind of backup the offense will need. With just rookie Eli Raridon expected to be the next man up, there's plenty of reason for the Patriots to explore their options, and the Raiders look like the right team to call.
That's even clearer after a new report from ESPN's Ryan McFadden, who revealed Las Vegas' plans to make Brock Bowers their next superstar, which inevitably leaves a guy like Michael Mayer on the back burner.
Plans to make Brock Bowers a superstar puts the Patriots in a good position to trade for their backup tight end
As their first-round pick in 2024, the Raiders have big plans for Bowers to become one of the league's best tight ends as soon as possible, and he's already on that path.
With a new quarterback under center and a team planning to make their star tight end a focal point of their offense, Mayer, their presumed TE2, is left on the outside looking in, despite having once been considered the next budding star in the same way Bowers now is.
Given that he was drafted by Josh McDaniels when he was the head coach of the Raiders, it's a no-brainer for the Patriots to inquire about his availability. They clearly need a boost to their tight end room and a veteran who could potentially become Henry's successor, and there might not be a better option than Mayer at this point.
McDaniels liked him enough to draft him, and we have yet to see all that Mayer can do in the NFL, since the Raiders have not had a stable quarterback situation since he entered the league.
Maye would be the best quarterback he has played with thus far, and as we've seen from his chemistry with Henry, there is no doubt that Mayer could become the next best tight end for him to work with.
The only way they'll be able to upgrade the position is through a trade. Because the offensive coordinator already has a connection to Mayer and the Raiders don't appear to have long-term plans to keep him around, he looks like their best option.
At the very least, they need to make the call and see what they would want in a trade because the tight end depth right now doesn't look sustainable for the entirety of the 2026 season. Mayer could be the answer to that problem, and it might not take a lot to get a trade done.
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