An NFL trade idea sending a 23-year-old Pro Bowler to the New England Patriots has been created.
An NFL trade idea pairing New England Patriots star Drake Maye with a 23-year-old Pro Bowler has emerged.
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report created the following trade idea between the Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars:
New England Patriots Receive: WR Brian Thomas Jr., 2026 Round 5 Pick (166)
Jacksonville Jaguars Receive: 2026 Round 1 Pick (31), 2026 Round 3 Pick (95), 2026 Round 4 Pick (No. 131)
Thomas Jr. appeared in 14 games for the Jaguars last season. He caught 48 balls for 707 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
A LSU product, Thomas Jr. made the Pro Bowl in 2024 as a rookie. He put up 1,282 receiving yards on 87 receptions and caught 10 touchdowns.
The Patriots, who lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl last season, cut Stefon Diggs and signed Romeo Doubs this offseason. Mike Vrabel and Co. had to part ways with Diggs, who is facing felony strangulation and other criminal charges stemming from an alleged dispute with his personal chef.
Adding Thomas Jr. would give Maye another explosive target on offense, just like the Denver Broncos did for Bo Nix by trading for Jaylen Waddle.
"There's a window open for the Patriots now with quarterback Drake Maye on his rookie deal, but that window isn't going to stay open forever," Davenport wrote. "While it is, the team should go for broke--especially after the Denver Broncos raised the stakes in the AFC with the Jaylen Waddle trade."
The Patriots were interested in trading for Chicago Bears WR D.J. Moore, but the Bears traded Moore to the Buffalo Bills. If New England doesn't trade for Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown, it will be fascinating to see if the front office pivots to Thomas Jr.
Maye finished the 2025 regular season with 4,394 passing yards and 31 passing touchdowns while completing 72.0% of his passes. He lost the MVP Award to Los Angeles Rams star Matthew Stafford.
Maye finished the Super Bowl with 295 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and two interceptions. It's fair to wonder how he would have played against the Seahawks had he not gotten hurt against the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.
Thomas Jr. may need a change of scenery to revive his career and the Patriots have one of the best cultures in the NFL. Let's see if a trade goes down between New England and Jacksonville.
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