Are Vikings positioning for a massive draft day trade offer to Patriots?

Are the Vikings considering a big draft day trade, and if so, could the Patriots be involved?

The Minnesota Vikings could be positioning themselves for a blockbuster trade in the 2024 NFL draft, and some are already wondering if such a deal would include the New England Patriots.

As the draft board currently stands, the Patriots own the No. 3 overall pick, which puts them in striking distance of one of the top-three quarterbacks in the draft. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels are equally debated in terms of talent and potential, and the Vikings would probably love an opportunity to grab one of them.

Minnesota might have set the dominos in motion for such an opportunity on Friday, when trading multiple picks to the Houston Texans for the No. 23 overall pick of the draft. That means they now own two firsts at No. 11 and No. 23.

Could they entice the Patriots to come down from No. 3 with multiple first-round picks?

Anything is possible when executives start negotiating potential trade deals, but it would be smarter if the Patriots resist the urge to take the bait. Sure, the team desperately needs assets to rebuild the offense, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of potentially missing on a franchise quarterback.

There are no guarantees the Patriots will ever be in a position again to draft one of the top quarterback prospects. They should consider themselves fortunate there are three players held in high regard at the position this year. In most cases, even with the No. 3 overall pick, they wouldn’t be in position to get a quarterback without needing to trade away a haul of draft assets to move up.

Swinging a trade now could put them in a similar situation as the Vikings—loaded with offensive talent and no quarterback to show for it. Getting the quarterback is the hard part.

The Patriots should get their new signal-caller and start to rebuild the offense through the draft by hitting on receivers, offensive linemen and a tight end. Free agency will come again next year, and there will be other veteran players looking for an opportunity to make money.

The draft will be here next year as well, but there are no guarantees the opportunity to get a quarterback will ever be.

Tee Higgins’ reported trade request keeps hope alive for Patriots

Tee Higgins might not be off the table after all

Tee Higgins was initially viewed as the big fish in a pond of pending free agent wide receivers in 2024, until the Cincinnati Bengals slapped him with the franchise tag.

However, the tag might no longer be a barrier with the burgeoning star wideout reportedly requesting to be traded on Monday.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Bengals and Higgins haven’t had talks about a long-term contract extension since March 2023. That has left the receiver disappointed and ready to seek a new opportunity elsewhere.

“Bengals franchise WR Tee Higgins has requested a trade, per sources. Higgins loves Cincinnati and hoped to be with the team long term, but is disappointed that the team has not had any talks about a long-term contract extension since March 2023. He’s ready to move on to a new home,” Schefter posted on X.

Could the New England Patriots be that next home for Higgins?

It would make sense for them to be interested considering they’ll be big-game hunting in free agency. The cost would be the biggest question mark when seeking to facilitate a trade.

New England obviously shouldn’t be giving away the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft for Higgins. They’ll need to preserve their premium pick to select a new franchise quarterback.

But the No. 34 overall pick in the second round would absolutely be worth it to get an immediate game-changer on the offensive side of the ball.

What Chukwuma Okorafor signing means for Mike Onwenu

Will Chukwuma Okorafor signing impact the Patriots’ chances of re-signing Mike Onwenu?

The New England Patriots made their first strides towards beefing up their offensive line by reportedly signing former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor on Thursday.

Of course, that has a bunch of Patriots fans pressing the panic alarm on the team’s chances of re-signing pending free agent tackle Mike Onwenu to a new deal.

Take a deep breath. Relax.

This signing will not impact the Patriots’ ongoing negotiations with Onwenu. The Patriots are expected to make several signings, whether through the draft or free agency, at the tackle position, which was one of the biggest trouble spots for the team throughout the 2023 season.

Okorafor is a solid depth signing with plenty of upside at only 26 years old. Sure, he has starting potential, but he could also work into the offense as a rotational piece up front.

More than anything, the Patriots need reliable bodies to serve as a wall for whoever is under center at quarterback, and Okorafor is the kind of player that can help provide that sort of protection.

New England should still be very competitive in trying to re-sign Onwenu. Patriots executive Eliot Wolf wouldn’t have gone out of his way to call the former sixth-round draft pick a “cornerstone” player if he wasn’t serious about bringing him back on a new deal.

Nothing is ever certain in free agency, but when it comes to keeping one of their own, the new regime isn’t going down without a fight.

7 standout wide receivers Patriots could still target in free agency

With Tee Higgins and Mike Evans off the table, here are seven standout free agent receivers the Patriots could still target

The wide receiver market is thinning in free agency with Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins being franchise tagged and Mike Evans signing a two-year deal to stay with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Those are two big-ticket options gone for the receiver-needy New England Patriots.

But there’s no need to hit the panic button. There are still plenty of wide receiver options that could give the Patriots a major boost in free agency. Some even have the potential to sit at the top of the depth chart in the coveted No. 1 receiving role.

With Higgins and Evans off the table, here are seven standout receivers the Patriots could still pursue in free agency.

Full 7-round 2024 NFL mock draft: First projections after NFL Scouting Combine

The first full seven-round 2024 NFL mock draft for the Patriots after the NFL Scouting Combine

The NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, and many people are excited for the NFL offseason with free agency and the 2024 NFL draft right around the corner.

In New England, fans are itching to see the offensive talent the new regime will target. These are exciting times, but it’s also worth prefacing: The NFL combine is not a way to evaluate talent, but it is a way to finalize your draft board.

My 2024 draft kit is coming soon, and I utilized specific combine drills to finalize some matchups where the margins are smaller.

I think 10-yard split, 3-cone and other drills are more important than the 40-yard dash, vertical, long jump and bench press. Those specific drills will showcase what actually happens in a game, as opposed to the latter which happens in rare situations.

In the NFL, short area quickness, explosiveness and change of direction are valuable for evaluations. As I finalize my kit, It’s time we head into the true mock draft realm.

This time of the year is typically when I switch my mock drafts to what I think the Patriots will do, as opposed to what I want them to do. However, without any knowledge of what this regime will be doing in their first year, I am making these selections based on reports out there, who the team has been interviewing and who is on the roster currently.

Without further ado, let’s get right into the latest seven-round mock draft.

Projected market value for Patriots’ top pending free agents

The Patriots have multiple in-house free agents they might want to re-sign. Here’s what it could cost them.

Big decisions loom on the horizon for the New England Patriots heading into free agency.

They’re sitting pretty right now with roughly over $100 million in available salary cap space, but they are also a team bogged down with various holes and upgrade needs on their roster.

Free agency isn’t just about paying big money to load up on outside talent. It’s also about keeping the talent you already have to ensure some continuity. Not everything was bad with the 4-13 Patriots, and this isn’t a situation where the organization is looking to throw the entire team away.

There were pieces that stood out as potential parts of an eventual solution in New England. and it now falls on Patriots executive Eliot Wolf and the front office to figure out ways to keep those pieces intact.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at the Patriots’ top free agents and their projected market values, according to PFF.com and Spotrac.com.

Instant analysis of Patriots cutting CB J.C. Jackson on Friday

Here’s why the Patriots decided to move on from CB J.C. Jackson

Well, that didn’t last long.

Nearly six months after trading for J.C. Jackson, the New England Patriots are moving on from the former All-Pro cornerback. The team officially announced his release on Friday, which wasn’t really that big of a surprise.

Jackson’s on-field production was up and down in his return, and he reportedly missed the final four games of the season due to a personal matter. He was also sent home for the Patriots’ international game in Germany against the Indianapolis Colts, after missing curfew at the team hotel.

At the end of the day, the level of production didn’t match the contract. But even more importantly, the Patriots also saved a whopping $13.46 million by moving on from Jackson.

The Patriots already have a solid cornerback room with Christian Gonzalez, Marcus Jones and Jonathan Jones. Shaun Wade also stepped up as a contributor last season.

Alex Austin is another name to keep an eye on for a potential contract extension. He held his own in tough coverage matchups as a rookie last season, and he could provide quality depth on the roster.

It’s tough to see Jackson go because of the history he has in New England as a former Super Bowl champion. Many thought he was going to be one of the cornerstone players of the defense for years to come, until he cashed out in Los Angeles.

Jackson is clearly a talented player that will have other opportunities, but this was the right move for the Patriots to give themselves their best shot at rebuilding the roster successfully.

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Deeper dive into Patriots’ 2024 special teams coaching staff

Here’s a closer look at the Patriots’ 2024 special teams coaching staff

As the New England Patriots gear up for the upcoming NFL season, all eyes are on their revamped special teams unit, which found itself ranking amongst the worst in the league over the last two seasons.

Recognizing the critical need for a turnaround, the Patriots have embarked on a bold mission to revitalize their special teams by assembling a fresh and innovative coaching staff.

With a roster brimming with new ideas and diverse experiences, these specialists are poised to breathe new life into a unit that will no longer have Matthew Slater leading the way.

Let’s dive into the Patriots’ new-look special teams coaching staff, led by rookie coordinator Jeremy Springer.

25 best free agent targets for the Patriots in 2024

Here are the 25 best free agent options for the Patriots

The New England Patriots are expected to be aggressive in free agency this offseason in an effort to fill multiple holes on their roster.

It’s no secret that the onus for the 4-13 finish in 2023 falls predominantly on the offensive struggles. There’s a need to fill at every offensive position for New England, most notably at quarterback, wide receiver and offensive tackle.

However, don’t think for one second that the defense will go ignored. That unit was one of the best in the NFL last season, and it kept the team in games that would have otherwise turned into blowouts.

If the Patriots hope to remain competitive in 2024, they’ll need to continue adding defensive playmakers to keep games close. In no particular order, here are the 25 best potential free agent targets for the Patriots:

2024 NFL mock draft roundup: Will Patriots trade down from No. 3?

Will the Patriots trade down in the 2024 NFL draft? Here is this week’s mock round-up

The New England Patriots are the most unpredictable team on the board in the 2024 NFL draft.

There seems to be a different prediction in every weekly mock draft round-up. This isn’t a situation where it’s a consensus pick of the same one or even two players. There are literally varying opinions on what the Patriots should do with the No. 3 overall pick.

Some believe the Patriots should trade down for more picks, while others are hopeful they’ll consider trading up. There are a plethora of fans that want to see them draft a receiver, while many would prefer they play it safe and take a quarterback.

As one of the mock draft analysts predicts in this piece, there’s also a chance they pass on a quarterback and receiver early for one of the top offensive tackles.

Here’s a full round-up of this week’s mock drafts for the Patriots: