The Patriots spent the offseason trying to make sure their offense doesn’t flatten out when the games get biggest.
That urgency makes the idea of Jonathan Taylor worth watching. New England already added veterans A.J.
Brown, Romeo Doubs and Alijah Vera-Tucker, then used first- and third-round picks on Caleb Lomu and Eli Raridon to keep adding youth. But after a postseason in which the offense never really found its gear, the case for one more major swing is easy to understand.
The Patriots put up 16 points against the Chargers, then 21 against the Texans despite five turnovers from the defense. They managed 10 points against the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, including a touchdown after a red-zone fumble recovery, and then only 13 against the Seahawks in the Super Bowl after going scoreless for the first three quarters. Over the postseason, the offense averaged just 12.5 points per game.
That’s why Taylor keeps coming up as a possible midseason target.
He might not be a pure need for New England’s backfield, but he would clearly raise the ceiling over both TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson. For a team that leans into the run the way Josh McDaniels does, that kind of upgrade carries obvious appeal.
Taylor still put together a big season in Indianapolis. He finished with nearly 1,600 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns while averaging 4.9 yards per carry. He also added 46 catches for 378 yards and two touchdowns in what was just his second fully healthy season.
The Colts, though, went in the opposite direction after a strong start. They opened 8-2, then lost seven straight after their bye week once Daniel Jones ruptured his Achilles. Taylor had gone over 100 rushing yards five times before the bye, but didn’t do it once afterward.
CBS’s Garrett Powell recently floated the possibility that Taylor could be available by the midseason point if Indianapolis can’t put together a strong first half. Jones is back under center, the team traded Michael Pittman, and it has put its faith in Alec Pierce with a massive new contract. That setup leaves plenty of room for problems.
A trade would not come cheap. Taylor is under contract through 2026, and if he were dealt in the middle of the season, the Patriots would only get him for as few as eight regular-season games unless they extended him. And that extension would be expensive.
Taylor has a chance to reset the running back market by topping Saquon Barkley’s deal, which is worth upwards of $20 million per year.
Powell’s view is that any team trading for Taylor would need to part with a top-100 pick. For New England, that likely means a third-rounder. That may not sound outrageous for a 27-year-old All-Pro, but once you factor in the next contract, it becomes a much bigger commitment, especially for a team that doesn’t have a desperate hole at running back.
There’s also the possibility of using Rhamondre Stevenson to help balance the money. If the Colts are moving Taylor, the season probably hasn’t gone according to plan, and Shane Steichen could be on the way out. In that scenario, Stevenson wouldn’t mean much to them as part of the return.
New England could also move Stevenson in a separate deal tied to a Taylor trade. The return likely wouldn’t be more than a sixth-round pick, but it would help clear salary, since trading Stevenson midseason would save nearly $6 million. It would also soften the blow of sending away a third-round pick.
Even with Henderson and Stevenson already on the roster, the Patriots should be thinking big if they want to keep surrounding Drake Maye with talent. If Indianapolis starts to slide, New England at least needs to be in the conversation about Taylor.
In Other News...
Patriots Have A Forgotten Back Pushing For A Real Camp Role
The Patriots are heading into training camp with the top of the running back depth chart already set behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, but the real intrigue comes a little farther down the line. Lan Larison, an undrafted free agent who spent last season on injured reserve, is one of the names in the mix for a third-back role, and his profile gives New England something different to evaluate as the roster starts to take shape.
Larisons case is built on more than just opportunity. At UC Davis, he showed the kind of versatility that can matter in a crowded backfield, piling up production as both a runner and receiver, while rookie Myles Montgomery and seventh-round pick Jam Miller are also competing for depth spots. For a Patriots team trying to sort out who can handle more than just a limited camp look, that battle could become one of the more interesting subplots of the summer. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Just Made The Kind Of Receiver Move Fans Have Begged For
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Of course, the early debate around the deal has already started to drift toward the usual trade-grading noise, with some Eagles supporters pointing to Madden 27 rankings as proof Philadelphia came out ahead. But the real answer will not come from a video game list or a one-day reaction cycle. It will come over the next several seasons, as Brown settles in with the Patriots and the trade is judged by what he actually does on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Could Make A Risky Bet On A Fallen First Rounder
Tyler Guytons NFL path has already turned uneven for a former first-round pick, with injuries and performance issues making his future in Dallas feel less secure than anyone expected. For a Patriots team still looking for more depth and long-term development at right tackle, that kind of situation naturally puts a player like Guyton on the radar, especially if a change of scenery becomes part of the conversation.
New England has spent plenty of time trying to stabilize the edge of its line, and Guytons background at right tackle gives him a built-in angle if the Cowboys decide he is no longer part of their plans. The appeal is obvious for the Patriots, but so is the risk, because this would be a bet on talent, health and coaching turning a disappointing stretch into something more useful down the road. [Read more 🡒]