One of the most important developments for the New England Patriots this season has been the emergence of quarterback Drake Maye.
And with a deep playoff run suddenly on the table, could New England reinforce its roster by giving the second-year QB another game-changing weapon to target?
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer appeared on NBC Sports Boston ahead of the Patriots’ 31-13 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 7. While Breer didn’t seem to think New England would go all in at the NFL trade deadline, he thinks there’s a chance the Pats make a move to reinforce the receiver room for the long term while not completely blowing up their draft capital.
“My understanding is their approach is going to be to take a long-term view of this whole thing,” Breer said on NBC Sports Boston. ” … (in the long-term bucket), this is where I think you’d be looking at guys that might mirror the opportunity they were looking at a year ago with Brandon Aiyuk where you can bring in a guy who’s going to help you now and also be a building block going forward.
“So, who could that be? Maybe a Chris Olave in New Orleans, maybe a Jordan Addison in Minnesota.”
Chris Olave, Jordan Addison Potential Patriots Trade Deadline Targets?
Olave and Addison would both be helpful additions to the Patriots depth chart, even with the stellar play of Stefon Diggs and the undeniable ascent of Kayshon Boutte.
What’s especially intriguing about Olave and Addison is that they’d be a strong complement to Maye’s most impressive skill, which is his ability to throw the ball down the field. Olave ranks 15 of 34 receivers with at least 23 receptions in air yards per reception, and while Addison has only played two games, his 18.3 air yards per reception would rank him sixth in that same group (he only has nine receptions this season).
Maye’s big-play ability was on display in Week 7 in Nashville on a jaw-dropping TD pass to Boutte.
“(Maye’s) 39-yard TD pass to Kayshon Boutte traveled 52.6 yards in the air, which was his second of the season over 50 yards by air distance,” ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss wrote after the game.
Patriots’ Trade Deadline Plans Still Unclear
As good as it might sound to add a player like Olave or Addison if you’re a Patriots fan, there’s no guarantee New England makes a move for either.
Olave, according to reports, is open to and apparently discussing a new deal with the Saints. He confirmed as much after a Week 7 loss to the Chicago Bears. That said, the Saints are 1-6, and it might ultimately make more sense to deal the 25-year-old Ohio State product, whose rookie option has already been exercised for the 2026 season but will hit the market after next year.
Addison, meanwhile, has even more club control. His rookie deal runs through 2026 with the option for 2027 available to the Vikings. The 23-year-old just showed his potential against the Eagles, catching nine of 12 targets for 128 yards in a loss to Philly. The Vikings, despite a 3-4 record, are still obviously alive in any playoff race, but the competitive NFC North could theoretically change the way they approach the deadline.
Both carry extremely manageable cap hits, which shouldn’t be an issue at all for a Patriots team with the NFL’s most available cap space.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Patriots Insider Lists Two Big-Play Receivers Team Could Target at Trade Deadline appeared first on Heavy Sports.