Patriots Trade Idea Sends Multiple First-Round Pick for All-Pro

The New England Patriots have certainly had a more than impressive 2025 season to-date, but the team is still perhaps short some blue-chip type players.

Almost two decades of picking in the bottom five picks in the NFL Draft, combined with the poor drafting capabilities of the tail-end of the Bill Belichick era have left the team with few elite-level players, beyond prime MVP candidate and franchise quarterback, Drake Maye.

And on the offense, where the team is still lacking top-quality weapons to support Maye in the passing game, New England could look to get aggressive at the end of the 2025 season.

Patriots Could Be A Fit For All-Pro Wideout

Jordy McElroy of Patriots Wire suggests that the team could make a move for disgruntled wideout, Justin Jefferson, who refused to speak to the media after managing just 4 receiving yards in Week 13's 26-0 blowout loss against the Seattle Seahawks.

And one of the compensation he suggests includes first round draft selections in in consecutive years in 2026 and 2027.

"Let's get one thing out of the way: Justin Jefferson won't come for cheap." McElroy wrote. "It will likely cost the Patriots multiple premium draft picks to land an elite talent like Jefferson in his prime at only 26 years old. So it makes sense to start with the price tag of two first-round draft picks. That steep price would be paying for a player who should be great for years to come."

Would The Patriots Give Up Two First Round Picks For Justin Jefferson?

McElroy stresses that whilst the price would no doubt be hefty, the return on investment for the Patriots would be a player the quality of which almost never comes around in the draft - especially if New England continue to do well and have consistently lower picks.

"Suppose the Patriots are considering upgrading at wide receiver next year." McElroy continued. "In that case, they need to ask themselves one simple question: What is the likelihood that they find a player better than Jefferson in the next two NFL drafts?"

McElroy does admit, however, that this would be a big philosophical shift for a coach that typically prefers to do things the old-fashioned way.

"With that said, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel has been content to do a slow rebuild by methodically building a well-rounded roster. It would be a complete deviation for him to give up so much in a trade."

As much as Justin Jefferson would be an expensive acquisition by both salary and trade comp. - if New England are afforded the opportunity to acquire him for two first rounders, they should think long and hard before passing it up.

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