The New England Patriots training camp is set to kick off tomorrow morning, which basically signals the informal start of the NFL season. Everyone involved with the Pats is looking forward to putting the bad taste of last season behind them and righting the ship this upcoming season.
In case you weren’t paying attention, the Patriots completely dominated this past offseason. They used their plethora of cap space to lure in whichever free agents they wanted, and were generally believed to have one of the stronger drafts throughout the league.
As a result, just about everyone involved is looking forward to getting back to work. That’s not the case around the rest of the league. There are some teams that are probably dreading returning to camp because they have to deal with their unhappy superstars.
One of the more drawn out sagas of the offseason seems to be coming to an end with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Even then, the Packers still have a lot of work on their hands, which we will get to in a second. With a number of stars unhappy with their deals or teams heading into training camp, let’s take a look at three of these stars that New England could look to swing a trade for.
New England Patriots Trade Target No. 3: Davante Adams
With Aaron Rodgers seemingly in tow for the upcoming season, it reduces the likelihood that Davante Adams would get moved before the start of the season. But Adams has previously made it seem like he is unwilling to sign an extension with Green Bay, and they may look to get something in return for Adams before he is set to hit the free agent market this upcoming offseason.
Adams made the full-fledged leap to top wide receiver in the league last season, as he grabbed 115 passes for 1374 yards and a league leading 18 touchdowns. This is a very good line for a full 16 game season, but Adams managed to accomplish this in just 14 games, only furthering the fact that he is the NFL’s best wide receiver heading into this season.
Adams seems to be intent on following Rodgers wherever he goes. When it was reported a couple days back that Rodgers and Green Bay were still at an impasse on their deal, that meant Adams was too. Now that Rodgers is back in the fold, Adams is willing to talk about an extension apparently.
Adams availability seems to be trending the wrong way from interested trade partners, but he could be available if the pendulum swings the other way. We’ve already discussed how New England could create a package centered around Stephon Gilmore to make an enticing package for Green Bay, and that may be a card to keep in the back pocket as the situation unfolds.
Regardless of where he stands now, it’s known that Adams has at least considered his future in Green Bay, and there’s still a good chance he hits free agency next offseason with Rodgers likely moving on from Green Bay after this season. If New England can create a tantalizing package that gets Green Bay to bite, they should definitely consider making a big splash for Adams.
New England Patriots Trade Target No. 2: Chandler Jones
Chandler Jones was always a solid player during his first four seasons with the New England Patriots, but he’s really developed into a monster during his time with Arizona Cardinals. Jones is looking for a new contract, but he missed 12 games last season, and Arizona doesn’t seem to want to pay him. Now Jones is set to hold out of camp, and Arizona may be forced to move their star pass rusher.
Jones final season with New England was in 2015 when recorded 12.5 sacks and earned his first Pro Bowl berth. But coach Bill Belichick didn’t want to have to pay Jones, and shipped him to Arizona before the final season of his rookie deal. Jones quickly established himself as one of the premier sack threats in the league, recording at least 11 sacks in his first four seasons with the Cardinals.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
The 2020 season didn’t live up to Jones or Arizona’s expectations. He only managed to play in five games, and wasn’t his usual self when he was on the field, recording only one sack on the season. Now Jones and the Cardinals front office find themselves at odds with each other as the regular seasons creeps near.
That’s where New England can swoop in. Depending on how the situation goes in Arizona, Jones may become a cheaper trade target if he attempts to force his way out via a trade. Even if he doesn’t, Jones value won’t be as high as it once was due to the fact that he’s 31, set to be a free agent, and trying to come back from a serious injury.
New England really revamped their front seven defensively this offseason, but you can never have too much pass rushing. Jones is already familiar with the system, and has a track record of being one of the best edge rushers in the game. The Pats should keep a close eye on the situation out west, as they might just be able snatch up one of the best defensive linemen in the game if things go their way.
New England Patriots Trade Target No. 1: Deshaun Watson
There may not be a more controversial name in all of the NFL right now than Deshaun Watson. Coming off a career year, Watson requested a trade after the season’s end due to the Houston Texans somehow blowing up a yearly playoff contender in only two seasons. Houston refused, but Watson was shortly hit with a bevy of sexual assault charges that threw everything into chaos.
The situation took a backseat during the last few weeks, but has heated up again recently. After initially facing 20 plus accusations of sexual assault, Watson’s lawyer said that number was “only” at 10 right now. And after refusing to trade Watson all offseason, Houston has only decided now to reverse course, and is suddenly open to trading Watson now.
There are so many different ways to look at a potential Watson trade. From a pure football perspective, the Patriots would be foolish to not be interested in Watson. He kept an awful Houston team in pretty much every game they played, and is just 25 years old.
But there is so much risk involved with a deal for Watson that no one is really sure what is going to happen. For starters, he’s facing tons of sexual assault charges, which could not only damage his football career, but his life outside the game as well. Those charges are a very large looming issue that is most likely going to cause teams to be wary of trading for Watson.
Then there are secondary issues, such as whether or not Watson will even be eligible to play this season, as he could be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list regardless of where the legal proceedings are at. Even if he plays this season, what happens next season? Could he face jail time that interrupts his career?
There are so many unknowns with this situation that it makes a trade quite unappealing. But the issue is, Houston has almost no leverage in the situation. Watson has requested a trade, and Houston has now decided to let the entire world know that they are looking to move Watson as well.
Making a move for Watson is a huge, huge risk. But if he ends up getting traded and can actually play, chances are the team that traded for him is getting a steal. The problem is there is currently a lot working against that statement being true.
Yes, the New England Patriots did just draft Mac Jones in the first round to be their presumed quarterback of the future. But anytime you can take established talent over potential talent, you move closer to a championship. There’s a lot of risk involved with a potential trade for Watson, but if the Patriots make a trade for him and he ends up playing the season, there’s a very good chance this team is competing for a Super Bowl.