The confetti has barely settled in New Orleans and the party’s just starting in Philadelphia, but given the state of the New England Patriots’ roster, the work to improve should be underway.
Last year’s quiet offseason and draft put New England even farther behind the eight ball. Concurrently, their rookie quarterback appears ahead of schedule – which is great – but also demands support from the front office in helping Drake Maye make a leap in year two.
There can be no window shopping this offseason. Eliot Wolf and Ryan Cowden have to enter with a list and prepare to pay sticker price. Their undertaking starts with a trade market that’s already buzzing and should offer some optimism. Here are three trade targets who make sense for the 2025 Patriots:
Deebo Samuel
The San Francisco 49ers are expected to shop Samuel this offseason, per NFL Media. Samuel finished 2024 with just 51 catches and 670 yards, and the Niners will owe him $17.55 million in 2025. That number may seem high given his stunted production last year, but it’s well below what premium free agent wideouts will get, and New England certainly has the cap space. The question becomes how much draft capital the Patriots would offer the Niners, and whether they’d be able to negotiate a contract extension that makes sense in light of Samuel’s downsides (age, productivity), and Maye’s rookie contract timeline.
Samuel, a self-described “wide back,” would offer Josh McDaniels the sort of trick plays and creative wrinkles he loves. He brings experience to the receiver room, and hasn’t sustained a serious injury since 2020.
And if a report from last year is to be believed, this isn’t the first time the Patriots and Niners have discussed this trade.
Cooper Kupp
Kupp is blue chip talent with a few dents and scratches. He’s almost 32 and four years removed from his “Triple Crown” season, but he’s still a worthwhile bet for New England. Again, the Patriots really need to staff pass catchers around Maye. Kupp has unbelievably dependable hands, (he had just a 2% drop rate in 2024), and he’s a versatile wideout, able to play in the slot and outside the numbers. He brings his championship experience as well as leadership to a young and, frankly, unpolished group of receivers. He also has blocking ability, which is a nice attribute when considering how much it’s going to take to build up the Patriots’ offensive line.
Kupp’s contract pays out $20 million in 2025 and nearly that same amount in 2026, but NFL Media revealed the Los Angeles Rams are open to eating some money on the books – including a $7.5 million signing bonus – to facilitate a trade. Whether the Patriots will need to part with draft capital or the Rams simply cut him loose, he’s going to have a hefty price tag. The upside is still worth it.
Myles Garrett
Garrett’s availability this offseason is open to interpretation: he doubled down on his trade request on ESPN’s NFL Countdown on Super Bowl Sunday, but Browns GM Andrew Berry has reportedly opposed to the move. Even if Garrett shakes loose, he says he wants to go to a Super Bowl contender. Barring a 2024 Washington Commanders-style turnaround, that does not describe the Patriots.
Still, reuniting Garrett with Mike Vrabel in New England right after the new head coach served as an assistant in Cleveland makes oodles of sense. Garrett is a four-time All-Pro defensive end who’s registered double-digit sack numbers for seven consecutive seasons straight. If Cleveland is hesitant to trade away such a talent, and it looks that way, New England’s congenial relationship with the Browns and Number 4 draft overall draft pick could grease the wheels. Garrett is the kind of player who defines a defense, and lining him up with Christian Barmore and Keion White could be nightmare fuel for opposing teams.