Matt Johnson
The New England Patriots have been linked in NFL rumors to an A.J. Brown trade this offseason but nothing has come to fruition. As the 2026 NFL Draft nears, there is now reportedly a belief around the league that New England could make a very different move on draft night.
NFL general managers who spoke to Jason la Canfora of Sportsboom predicted that the patriots will attempt to move up in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft with the intent of adding to the offensive line.
New England has already made changes to the offensive line this offseason. After trading center Garrett Bradbury to the Chicago Bears, they are kicking 2025 third-round pick Jared Wilson back inside to his natural position at center. Taking his place at left guard on the Patriots offensive line is free-agent signee Alijah Vera-Tucker, which should give New England the strongest left side it’s had in years.
With the left side of the Patriots offensive line seemingly set in stone for the next two-plus years, that would seemingly leave right tackle as the likeliest position to be addressed in Round 1. Morgan Moses played relatively well last season, but he’s now 35 years old and could be a cap casualty in 2027.
Currently holding the 31st overall pick in Round 1, New England could conceivably attempt to move into the top-25 to land an offensive tackle. That could conceivably put them in the range to land someone like Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu, Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor or Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller. Moving up would presumably cost a third-round pick and take the team out of the mix to acquire Brown.
The team would likely treat that offensive lineman taken in Round 1 as a bit of a developmental pick, using him as a swing tackle for the 2026 NFL season who can step in if Moses or Will Campbell goes down. Depending on the player, particularly if it’s Proctor, the rookie could even provide depth at guard.
For the time being, New England is certainly keeping its options open and trading for Brown remains on the table. If that deal doesn’t come to fruition, though, we could still see the Patriots pull off a draft-night deal.
