The defending AFC Champion New England Patriots have received some relief on the trade and free agent front this offseason, with one of their biggest rivals not competing on the open market at the receiver position.
On Wednesday, the Buffalo Bills acquired DJ Moore from the Chicago Bears in one of the offseason's biggest early-season trades. Per ESPN, "Buffalo is sending a 2026 second-round draft pick to Chicago in exchange for Moore and a 2026 fifth-round selection. The Bills will be guaranteeing $15.5 million of Moore's $23.5 million base salary in 2028, agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey (said) ... Moore's $23.5 million base salary in 2026 is fully guaranteed, and his 2027 base salary, also $23.5 million, becomes fully guaranteed next week."
With the Bills now off the board, the Patriots now become even stronger suitors for the Philadelphia Eagles' A.J. Brown on the trade market and the Indianapolis Colts' Alec Pierce, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent.
With Buffalo moving major assets to land Moore, they've set the market and also probably lowered the price for Brown. New England does not need to overpay Philadelphia for Brown, whose value sinks with every extra day he spends on the Eagles.
As for Pierce, there's no guarantee that the Bills won't try to sign him. With Josh Allen getting paid over $50 million and still having not made a Super Bowl, Buffalo may go all in to get the most out of their franchise QB. Still, it'd probably take Allen sacrificing a good chunk of change to make this possible. Allen doesn't seem like the sacrificing type.
The Patriots Don't Need to Make Drastic Moves to Win
New England is right on time, if not even a little early. There's no need to risk this team's chemistry by making drastic changes this offseason.
While the Stefon Diggs experiment didn't work out, EDGE K'Lavon Chaisson, S Jaylinn Hawkins, DT Khyiris Tonga, and TE Austin Hooper may be the only losses the team takes, unless Anfernee Jennings gets the axe. Jennings may avoid that after a strong postseason, though.
The Patriots don't need to be drastic. Not like the Bills or most other AFC contenders, including the conference title game losers, the Denver Broncos. New England has the timeline and the talent to simply focus on improving on an overperforming effort in Mike Vrabel's debut season.