The New England Patriots are sitting in the 2024 NFL Draft catbird seat.
Slated to select behind the Chicago Bears, all but assuredly selecting USC quarterback Caleb Williams, and the Washington Commanders who will likely take their pick of LSU’s Jayden Daniels or UNC’s Drake Maye, the Patriots could stand pat and emerge from this year’s draft or command a king’s ransom from a quarterback-needy franchise.
If new head coach Jerod Mayo and the Patriots aren’t enamored by the remaining quarterback options, perhaps there’s a scenario where New England adds one of the NFL’s most prolific offensive weapons.
Could New England Patriots Trade for Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson?
It might be a pipe dream, but at least one former NFL general manager believes the Patriots could be on the cusp of adding one of the game’s most brilliant offensive superstars.
Former NFL Executive of The Year Rick Spielman tells ESPN; that the ‘pipe dream’ scenario for the Patriots is a package from the Vikings that includes Justin Jefferson and multiple first-round picks.
“I know if any team is coming up to No. 3, they’re coming up to get a premium position. So I’m going to squeeze them for everything I can,” said Spielman, who is now an analyst for CBS Sports and the podcast “With The First Pick.
“And if I need a quarterback, too, as New England does, then the deal better be pretty rich for me to pass up one of these quarterbacks and move down. They would have to pay above a premium.”
The Vikings, who have been posturing all offseason as a team primed to pounce on a blockbuster trade to the top of the board to select a top quarterback, sending Jefferson would certainly qualify as ‘a premium.’
Through his first four seasons, Jefferson has made a compelling case as the league’ most explosive and complete receiver, catching 392 passes for 5,899 yards with 30 touchdowns while averaging 15 yards per reception.
Could a Justin Jefferson Trade Actually Work for New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings
On the surface it may be preposterous for the Vikings to consider trading Justin Jefferson and the Patriots passing on a quarterback, but there could be some merit to a deal like this actually going down.
Minnesota has prepared for life after Jefferson, by drafting Jordan Addison in the first-round in 2023, and if the Patriots aren’t enamored by the remaining lot of Maye or J.J. McCarthy or Daniels, adding a bounty of picks along with a superstar to build around could be compelling.
The Vikings would obviously need to be in love with the best remaining quarterback on the board, and they do boast a roster that could be a quarterback away from making a challenge in the NFC North, while Jefferson could be viewed as a high-priced luxury with Addison in the fold and emerging.
Eventually, the Patriots need to find a franchise quarterback, and this trade would give them the resources either via trading back into the first-round this year or with added draft capital in 2025 to mine a quarterback of the future.
However, a top priority early in Mayo’s tenure must be closing the sizable talent chasm that now exists between the Patriots and the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Miami Dolphins in the AFC East, alone. Jefferson moves the ball forward in that regard.
This would fit the bill as a “pipe dream” trade scenario, but it could ultimately pay dividends for both teams.
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