The New England Patriots are shaping up to be a contender in the AFC after a 5-2 start to the season. Their latest win, a 31-13 trouncing of the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, proved that Drake Maye (21/23 passing, 222 yards, two TDs) is a franchise quarterback.
To get over the top, though, Maye may need more weapons in the passing game. Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte are nice building blocks, but their various ages and skill levels make them better supporting players than main event threats.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer shared the Patriots' long-term plan as it pertains to any trade: landing a player who fits the franchise's long-term timeline.
"My understanding is their approach is going to be to take a long-term view of this whole thing. I think you have to put these in two buckets, right? Short-term versus long-term," Breer said on Patriots Pregame Live on Sunday.
Breer talked about the short-term options being someone who is "more of a depth piece," while spending more time on the long-term, with specific details like "Guys that are nearing the end of the rookie deals, where maybe their teams like the player, but don't plan on signing them long-term."
Chris Olave is a Perfect Reclamation Project for Patriots
Breer mentioned several names, but someone who fits his description better than anyone brought up is the New Orleans Saints' Chris Olave.
Olave is one of the few Ohio State Buckeyes draft picks at receiver, developed by Brian Hartline, who hasn't become a star in the league. Despite developing some early chemistry with Derek Carr, injuries, quarterback changes and coaching changes have held him back from reaching his full potential. A change in scenery could be just what he needs.
Joining a rising contender in New England, whose quarterback can seemingly do no wrong right now, is as good of a situation as Olave, or the Minnesota Vikings' Jordan Addison (who Breer also mentioned) can expect by the NFL trade deadline.
Olave has had a bad injury hand dealt to him, but a fresh start in a more familiar-feeling market could be what the doctor ordered.
Patriots Can Offer Saints Second- and Sixth-Round Picks for Chris Olave
The Patriots could outbid the market for Olave, likely to be at best a second-round pick, by offering their own 2026 pick, plus a sixth-rounder. New England has the Kansas City Chiefs' sixth in 2026 and the New Orleans Saints' in 2027 to work with.
First-year Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has more buy-in from ownership than Jerrod Mayo had, probably because Vrabel had five wins in his first seven tries and Mayo had four in his first 17. Spending on a splash like Olave is well-deserved for Josh McDaniels' well-oiled offensive machine.
It shouldn't take much to land Olave. New England certainly has enough. It'll come down to Eliot Wolf feeling Maye is a receiver of Olave's caliber short of being more than just a rebuilding team that's showing signs of a stable foundation.