3 realistic trade packages Patriots could offer for Justin Jefferson

In less than a year, the New England Patriots moved from the Overlook Hotel to the Plaza Hotel. For the first time since Tom Brady was quarterback, the Patriots are the best destination team in the entire NFL.

And that’s good news if the team wanted to take a plunge this offseason with a monster trade for a player like Minnesota Vikings All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

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It seems impossible that the Vikings would even consider moving on from a player like Jefferson, but the same could have been said for Micah Parsons, who was ultimately traded by the Dallas Cowboys to the Green Bay Packers in August.

Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy showed no signs of improvement, and the team let Sam Darnold out last offseason. Maybe McCarthy finally gets it and shows a glimmer of hope for a once-promising team that has now fallen to dead last in the NFC North division with a 4-8 record.

But if the downward spiral continues for McCarthy, the Vikings could have a franchise-altering decision on their hands. They can continue to hold on to Jefferson and watch his value depreciate against a losing football team, or they could maximize his value in a trade and move forward with a rebuild.

If they choose the latter, the Patriots should be one of the interested teams. The whole idea of ​​pairing Jefferson with Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is a dream scenario.

Stay in dreamland a little longer as I walk you through some potential trade packages for arguably the best receiver in football.

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1. Patriots send two first-round picks to the Vikings for Justin Jefferson

Let’s get one thing out of the way: Justin Jefferson isn’t coming for nothing.

It will likely cost the Patriots several premium picks to draft an elite talent like Jefferson in his prime at just 26 years old. So it makes sense to start with the price of two first-round picks. This high price would be worth paying for a player who should be great for years to come.

Let’s assume the Patriots are considering a move at wide receiver next year. In that case, they need to ask themselves a simple question: How likely is it that they find a player better than Jefferson in the next two NFL drafts?

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That said, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel has been content to carry out a slow rebuild by methodically building a well-balanced roster. It would be a complete deviation on his part to give up so much in one profession.

2. The Patriots send two first-round picks and a player to the Vikings for Justin Jefferson

The Patriots may have to go the Micah Parsons trade route to sign a player of Jefferson’s caliber. In this case, it would cost them two first-round picks and one player.

Keep in mind that other teams would also be interested in Jefferson’s services, even if he had the price of two first-round picks. It could depend on which team is willing to go the extra mile to make a deal, and it could be the caliber of player attached to the trade offer.

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The Cowboys got two freshmen and defensive tackle Kenny Clark for Parsons.

3. The Patriots send a first-round pick and two second-round picks to the Vikings for Justin Jefferson

The Vikings aren’t getting three first-round picks (sorry, Vikings fans), but that doesn’t mean they can’t walk away with three first-round picks in a trade. Granted, those are three major darts the Patriots would give up to land Jefferson.

Some would say this move would still be worth it, while others might prefer a more conservative approach given how the team has already performed without the No. 1 wide receiver.

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: 3 Realistic Trade Packages the Patriots Could Offer to Justin Jefferson