Last year, Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots made it clear they wanted a true No. 1 wide receiver. They went out and got Stefon Diggs. Now, a year later, they’re back in a similar conversation. Not because Diggs underperformed, he didn’t, but because the financial reality has shifted. And with free agency around the corner, the obvious question surfaces: Will Vrabel try to sign another WR1? He doesn’t sound convinced that’s the route.

“They’re not going to be there in free agency,” Vrabel said of finding No. 1 receiver at the NFL Scouting Combine. “You have to try to draft them. I think that’s where a lot of them are. You develop them.”

Before diving into the Patriots’ options, it’s important to understand why this conversation is even happening. Diggs was productive in Year 1 with New England. He cleared 1,000 receiving yards, becoming the first Patriots wide receiver to do so since Julian Edelman in 2019. On the field, he delivered.

The issue isn’t performance. It is the price.

Diggs’ base salary jumps from $2.9 million in 2025 to over $20 million in 2026. His cap hit climbs to $26.5 million. And if he remains on the roster past March 13, $6 million becomes fully guaranteed. That puts Vrabel and the front office in a familiar NFL bind: Is that number worth it for a 32-year-old receiver?

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Even if Diggs stays, though, the Patriots still need help at the position. Drake Maye is entering his third year, and asking him to lean solely on Diggs isn’t a long-term solution. The offense needs depth. It needs another difference-maker. But here’s the wrinkle: Vrabel doesn’t believe elite WR1s are realistically available in free agency.

That shifts the focus elsewhere: the draft or a trade.

New England already invested in Kyle Williams in the third round last year, and Vrabel is eager to see what a Year 2 leap looks like. Still, that likely won’t stop the Patriots from targeting another receiver in this draft. The challenge, however, is that they hold the No. 31 overall pick after their Super Bowl run.

In a class where Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State), and Makai Lemon (USC) are projected to go early, New England may be out of range for the top three. The next tier: Denzel Boston (Washington), Kevin Concepcion (Texas A&M), and Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana), could be more realistic options at 31.

But even that isn’t guaranteed.

General manager Eliot Wolf has made it clear the Patriots won’t cling to their first-round pick just for optics.

“We’re going to, again, make decisions both for the short and long term that we see as best moving forward.”

Translation: If an opportunity arises to trade that pick for a proven player, say, a star edge rusher like Maxx Crosby, they’ll consider it. In that scenario, drafting a first-round receiver becomes irrelevant.

Which brings us to the other path: a trade for a wide receiver.

The Patriots have been linked to Philadelphia Eagles wideout A.J. Brown. While Brown has publicly referred to Philadelphia as “home,” he also voiced frustration with the Eagles’ offense during the 2025 season. That doesn’t automatically mean he wants out. But it adds context.

Eagles GM Howie Roseman has indicated he would be “open” to trade discussions. Brown, meanwhile, is under contract through 2029 after signing a three-year, $96 million extension in 2024. On paper, he’s locked in. In reality, situations evolve.

If Brown becomes available, he’d immediately check the box New England is looking to fill. He’s coming off another 1,000-yard season and remains firmly in his prime.

Vrabel didn’t shut the door when asked about the possibility at the Combine.

“I think that we’ll look at everything that we can possibly look at to add to our roster. And again, there’s a lot of things that go into trades. There’s a lot of back and forth and taking on compensation. And so I’m sure there’ll be a lot of opportunities for us to talk about trades, not only this week, but as we prepare and get closer to the draft.”

If there’s a pathway to acquiring Brown, Vrabel would explore it. The asking price would matter. The compensation would matter. But there’s one additional factor quietly fueling the speculation, the relationship Brown shares with Vrabel.

Mike Vrabel addresses his relationship with A.J. Brown

If the Eagles genuinely entertain trade offers for A.J. Brown, the Patriots would make logical sense as a landing spot. For starters, New England has cap flexibility. They have a clear need at wide receiver.

And layered on top of that is something less transactional but equally relevant: Brown’s relationship with Mike Vrabel. Vrabel didn’t dodge that connection when asked about it.

“It has meant a lot,” Vrabel said of his relationship with Brown. “I’ve watched him grow. I’ve watched him mature. I’m proud of him, proud of the father that he is. I’m proud of the husband (he is). … Those are the things that are important. We reach out and text each other during the good things that happen to each other. Sometimes things don’t go so well for the people that you’re close with, and you text for those as well. It’s a two-way street of support and reminders of what got us to where we are here today.”

That relationship isn’t superficial. Before Brown was traded to Philadelphia, he spent three seasons under Vrabel with the Tennessee Titans. During that stretch, he posted back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns in his first two seasons and added 869 yards in Year 3. He developed under Vrabel. And Vrabel clearly values more than just the on-field production.

Now, with Brown’s name circulating in trade speculation, the dots are easy to connect. Vrabel is coaching in New England. The Patriots need a receiver. Brown is familiar with the system and the coach. The fit, at least on paper, isn’t complicated.

Whether that actually materializes into a deal is another matter entirely. But if Philadelphia listens, New England won’t be an accidental name in the conversation.