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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 18: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots warms up prior to the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
The New England Patriots are full steam ahead for the 2026 season. After coming up short against the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX, the Patriots are hungry to get back and flip their fortunes in the biggest game of the season. With a young, ascending roster, there’s belief that New England can remain at the top of the sport for some time.
But to do that, they’ll need to continue to improve their roster, particularly on offense. Second-year QB Drake Maye was the MVP runner-up, but the offensive infrastructure around him got exposed throughout the playoffs. The offensive line got gashed by the league’s elite pass rushes, and the receiving corps couldn’t step up when it mattered most.
On the topic of adding a wide receiver, some ESPN insiders had an interesting trade proposal….
ESPN Trade Proposal Nets the New England Patriots a Star Wide Receiver
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 11: A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles pumps up the crowd before the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field on January 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
On Thursday, ESPN insider Seth Walder proposed a trade for Eagles WR A.J. Brown. Despite all his talent and production in Philadelphia, Brown had a rocky season in 2025, repeatedly clashing with team personnel and even his own teammates at times as the Eagles offense struggled to hit the heights they did in 2024 when they won a Super Bowl.
In an exercise with ESPN Eagles reporter Tim McMahon, Walder offered a mock trade that sent the Patriots’ first-round pick (No. 31), their third-round pick (No. 95) and a sixth-round pick in exchange for Brown and a second-round pick (No. 54).
“The Patriots made it to the Super Bowl with a lacking receiver group that had only one player post over 600 yards (Stefon Diggs),” Walder wrote. “But it won’t be as easy in 2026, as their regular-season schedule will be harder and it’s unlikely the sea of AFC teams with elite quarterbacks will part again for New England. Brown, who had a successful history with coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, is a logical fit to provide an instant upgrade.”
“Even though Brown’s production was down last season, the underlying metrics suggest he was still elite. He finished sixth in ESPN’s overall receiver score and was in the top 10 in open score. Brown is hardly free, but he would add value on his current contract and level of play. The Patriots are surrendering their first-round pick here, but it’s really a large trade down since they get a second-round pick back.”
Adding a Star at Wide Receiver Would Be a Massive Boost for the New England Patriots
McMahon was skeptical the Eagles would be willing to move Brown despite all the smoke. Still, the Patriots need to find some way to add a bona fide top option at receiver for Maye to throw to.
If Brown is unavailable, then perhaps the Patriots could pivot to using their first-round pick to select a player such as Washington WR Denzel Boston or Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion — if one of them is still on the board when the Patriots pick at No. 31. Or they could explore other trade options to add a more ready-now veteran. Either way, New England needs to do something at the position.
Ethan Woodie is an accomplished sports writer specializing in the NFL and college football for Heavy.com. He’s written for Heavy since 2025 and has years of experience writing for NFL Trade Rumors and Pro Football Focus (PFF). Woodie is an expert in draft scouting and his final 2025 Big Board was included in Arif Hasan’s media consensus board for Wide Left. More about Ethan Woodie
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