Tuesday’s report on the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants receiving trade calls for the No. 2 and No. 3 picks on the draft board has some wondering if the New England Patriots would consider a trade-up scenario for a player like Colorado’s Travis Hunter.
Most have assumed the Patriots would be looking to trade down, accumulate more draft picks and fill the many holes already on their roster. But would they consider getting aggressive by trading up with the Browns to go after a generational talent like Hunter?
More importantly, what would it cost them to make that kind of blockbuster move?
I spoke with Browns Wire editor Cory Kinnan to get his thoughts on a hypothetical trade between the Patriots and Browns. He pointed to the 2018 draft trade between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts. The Jets traded the No. 6 overall pick, two second-round picks in 2018 and one second-round pick in 2019 to move up to No. 3 on the draft board for quarterback Sam Darnold.
“I think it’d probably be something similar [to that trade],” said Kinnan.
That kind of haul for the Patriots today could look more like the team giving up the No. 4 overall pick, along with a second-round pick (No. 38), third-round pick (No. 69) and 2026 second-round pick. That’s a hefty price to pay for a Patriots team with other holes to fill on the roster, particularly at left tackle.
Something else to consider is the fact that this draft isn’t nearly as rich in talent at the top of the board as it was in 2018, when the top-10 picks included Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, Bradley Chubb, Roquan Smith, Quenton Nelson and Denzel Ward.
That could mean the Browns wouldn’t get the same return in a potential trade that Indy got from New York. I’d envision a more feasible trade from a Patriots perspective being the No. 4 pick, second-round pick and either their late third-rounder (No. 77) or fourth-rounder (No. 106) for the Browns’ No. 2 pick.
That’s assuming the Patriots would even be willing to risk that much draft compensation for Hunter in the first place. It’s hard to envision such a move happening, unless the team somehow managed to pull off a trade for Las Vegas Raiders offensive tackle Kolton Miller ahead of the draft.
Then I’d say all bets are off.
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