6 veteran trade candidates for Patriots to consider during the NFL Draft

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 18: Kayshon Boutte #9 celebrates with DeMario Douglas #3 of the New England Patriots after making a catch for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) | Getty Images The busiest weekend on the NFL calendar has arrived, with 257 draft prospects and dozens of rookie free agents all about to find new homes. That won’t be all, however: there also will be a multitude of picks, with teams moving up or down the board in hopes of maximizing value and filling needs on their roster.

Those moves will primarily use draft picks as currency, but they also might involve veteran players. The New England Patriots are no strangers to such transactions, bringing in former cornerstones such as Randy Moss or Trent Brown via draft-day trades. While the current regime led by executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and head coach Mike Vrabel might have a different view on the trade market than the previous one under Bill Belichick, there are some veteran candidates to consider for the club.

With that said, let’s take a look at three players in each category that could make sense as trade options under the right circumstances. Patriots trade candidates WR Kayshon Boutte: Another year, another batch of Kayshon Boutte trade rumors . He was not moved last year despite some speculation, and went on to produce the best season of his NFL career.

Now heading into the final year of his rookie pact and with the Patriots in the process of overhauling their wide receiver room, they once again might be willing to move on from the soon-to-be 24-year-old. Rumor has it that a late-round draft pick would do the trick, even though New England has plenty of those already this year. Still, Boutte is a definitive player to keep an eye on over the coming days.