The New England Patriots enter the 2026 NFL Draft with 11 assigned draft slots. While the team had made at least 10 picks in four of the last six years, they’re not in a full-on rebuild like they were for some of those drafts and should have more flexibility to move around the board. Plus, they’ve made at least one draft day trade every year since 2000, with the exception of 2004.
How much can they move? There are a couple of tools to help estimate that. One is the trade chart, which assigns numeric values to picks based on where they are in the draft. Typically, the team moving up overpays a bit based on the values on the chart.
The trade chart is more abstract though. NFL trades are often built on precedent, so a better determining factor can be looking at trades made from those spots in past years. There just has to be a comparable trade to look at (ex. if a team wants to move up from 50 to 30, has another team recently made a similar jump?).
Looking back at those trades can help project what might be available moving forwards. Each year I usually go through and make notes about all the trades from the Patriots’ spots going back five or six years (despite what the caller below thinks).
In 2024 I even shared the notes as a post here on the website. Last year was more unique because of the lack of blue chip talent at the top of the draft. But with the Patriots in a more flexible position this year, it’s time to bring it back.
Keep in mind this doesn’t include trades that involved players, or picks that carried over as parts of trades from previous years. For later rounds, we’ll expand the range a little bit as the value of picks may not change much in a five to ten pick range as the draft winds down. We’ll also focus on trades where the pick in question was the main or one of the main assets in the deal (ex. this won’t include trades where the 247th pick was thrown in with multiple top 100 assets), but the Patriots may not have every asset right now to complete each of these trades.
Trades made involving the Patriots are in bold.
31st overall pick
Overall note: This can be a valuable range to trade in the draft. Teams picking early in the second are typically looking to maximize their return, and sacrificing the fifth-year option on a pick (only first-round picks get the option on their rookie contracts) can result in a bigger haul for moving down just a couple of spots.
2025: The Chiefs traded 31 to the Eagles for 32 and 164. If the Patriots want to move back but stay in the first round, they can expect to add a fifth-round pick.
2024: The Bills traded 32 and 200 to the Panthers for 33 and 141. So, moving slightly back out of the first round could move the Patriots up about 60 spots on Day 3.
2023: The Cardinals traded 33 and 81 to the Titans for 41, 72, and a 2024 third-round pick. It’s two spots off the Patriots’ pick, but with 33 being in the second round the value is skewed.
2022: The Chiefs traded 29, 94, and 121 to the Patriots for 21. This was the move back before taking Cole Strange for the Patriots, but they’re now in position to be on the other side of a trade like this if they want to take a jump up the board.
2022: The Lions traded 32, 34, and 66 to the Vikings for 12 and 46. Not the kind of trade the Patriots can make right now (the Lions had the late first from trading Matthew Stafford), but an idea of what a significant jump up the board would cost.
2020: Packers traded 30 and 136 to the Dolphins for 26. This was to move up for a quarterback (Jordan Love), which can increase the value of the pick.
2020: The 49ers traded 31, 117, and 176 to the Vikings move up to 25 and take Brandon Aiyuk. Sitting at 125 instead of 117 the Patriots might need to give up a bit more than this, but it’s a good place to start for a realistic decent move up.
63rd overall pick
2025: The Lions traded 60 and 130 to the Broncos for 57 and 230.
2025: The Bills traded 56, 62, and 109 to the Bears for 41, 72, and 240. This doesn’t help the Patriots much unless they can find a second second-round pick somewhere to set up a trade-up.
2024: The 49ers traded 63 and 211 to the Chiefs for 64 and 173.
2024: The Panthers traded 65 to the Jets for 72 and 157.
2023: The Bears traded 61 and 136 to the Jaguars for 56.
2023: The Eagles traded 62 to the Texans for 65, 188, and 230. Either side of this deal works as a comp for the Patriots.
2023: The Chiefs traded 63, 122, and 249 to the Lions for 55 and 194.
2022: The Bengals traded 63 and 209 to the Bills for 60.
2020: The Ravens traded 60 and 129 to the Patriots for 71 and 98. This was the Patriots moving up to draft Joshua Uche.
2020: Seahawks traded 64 to the Panthers for 69 and 148.
95th overall pick
2025: The Chiefs traded 95 and a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Patriots for 85. The Pats ended up taking Jared Wilson.
2025: The Eagles traded 96 to the Falcons for 101 and a 2026 fifth-round pick.
2025: The Vikings traded 97 and 187 to the Texans for 102 and 142.
2024: The 49ers traded 94 and 132 to the Eagles for 86.
2023: The Chiefs traded 95 and 217 to the Bengals for 92.
2023: The Panthers traded 93 and 132 to the Steelers for 80.
2023: The Cardinals traded 96 to the Lions for 122, 139, and 168.
2022: The Patriots traded 94 to the Panthers for 137 and a 2023 third-round pick. The Panthers took Matt Corral, and the Patriots later took Bailey Zappe.
2021: The Packers traded 92 and 135 to the Titans for 85.
2021: The Saints traded 98 and 105 to the Broncos for 76.
2020: The Raiders traded 91 and 159 to the Patriots for 100, 139, and 172. This was the Patriots moving up to draft Devin Asiasi.
125th overall pick
2025: The Rams traded 127 and 190 to the Colts for 117.
2024: The Eagles traded 120 to the Dolphins for a 2025 third-round pick.
2024: The Broncos traded 121, 136, and 207 to the Seahawks for 102 and 235.
2024: The Eagles traded 123 to the Texans for 127 and a 2025 fifth-round pick. The Patriots could realistically be on either side of a trade like this.
2024: The Packers traded 126 and 190 to the Jets for 111.
2024: The Jets traded 126 for a 2025 third-round pick.
2023: The Patriots traded 120 and 184 to the Jets for 112. This was to move up and take Chad Ryland, after getting 120 from the Steelers when they moved back in the first round before taking Christian Gonzalez.
2023: The Jaguars traded 127 to the Saints for 227 and a 2024 fourth-round pick.
2022: The Commanders traded 120 and 189 to the Panthers for 144 and 149.
2022: The Vikings traded 122 and 250 to the Raiders for 126 and 227.
2022: The Vikings traded 126 back to the Raiders for 165 and 169.
2021: The Rams traded 121 and 209 to the Jaguars for 130, 170, and 249. The Patriots could be on either side of this trade.
2021: The Titans traded 126, 166, and 232 to the Titans for 109.
2020: The Raiders traded 121 and 172 to the Lions for 109.
2020: The Patriots traded 125, 129, and a 2021 sixth-round pick to the Jets for 101. This was the Patriots trading up for Dalton Keene. With 125 and 131 in their pocket plus four sixth-round picks, the Patriots are certainly positioned to make a similar trade this year if they want to get back around the top 100.
2020: The Rams traded 126 to the Texans for 136, 248, and 250.
131st overall pick
2025: The Eagles traded 130 to the Jets for 145 and 207.
2025: The Bills traded 132 and 169 to the Bears for 109 (yes, the Bears and Bills kept passing pick 109 back and forth for this draft).
2024: The Jets traded 129 to the 49ers for 173 and 176.
2024: The Eagles traded 132 and 210 to the Lions for 164, 201, and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
2023: The Chiefs traded 134 and a 2024 fifth-round pick for 119.
2023: The Patriots traded 135 to the Raiders for 144 and 214.
2021: The Seahawks traded 129 to the Buccaneers for 137 and 217.
2020: The Saints traded 130, 169, 203, and 244 to the Vikings for 105.
2020: The Dolphins traded 136 and 141 to the Texans for 111.
171st overall pick
2025: The Patriots traded 171 to the Cowboys for 182 and 228.
2025: The Vikings traded 172 to the Rams for 201 and 202.
2025: The Cowboys traded 174 and 211 to the Cardinals for 152.
2024: The Packers traded 168 and 219 to the Packers for 163.
2024: The Eagles traded 171 to the Jets for 185 and 190.
2023: The Jets traded 170 to the Raiders for 204 and 220.
2023: The Rams traded 171 to the Buccaneers for 175 and 252.
2023: The Texans traded 174 and 259 to the Rams for 167.
2022: The Bills traded 168 and 203 to the Bears for 148.
2022: The Patriots traded 170 to the Texans for 183 and 245.
2022: The Packers traded 171 to the Broncos for 179 and 234.
2022: The Bengals traded 174 and 226 to the Bears for 166.
2022: The Rams traded 175 and 238 to the Raiders for 164.
2021: The Rams traded 170 to the Texans for 174 and 233.
2021: The Chiefs traded 175 and 207 to the Jets for 162 and 226.
2020: The Dolphins traded 173 and 227 to the Eagles for 164.
2020: The Eagles traded 173 and 227 to the Bears for 196, 200, and 233.
191st overall pick
2024: The Texans traded 189 to the Lions for 205 and 249.
2023: The Texans traded 191 to the Eagles for 230 and 248.
2023: The Eagles traded 191 to the Buccaneers for a 2024 fifth-round pick. Credit to Howie Roseman, who turned two late seventh-round picks into a fifth.
2022: The Jaguars traded 188 and 198 to the Eagles for 154.
2022: The Eagles traded 188 and 237 to the Lions for 181.
198th overall pick
2025: The Broncos traded 197 to the Texans for 216 and 241.
202nd overall pick
2024: The Lions traded 205 and 249 to the Texans for 189.
2023: The Raiders traded 204 and 220 to the Jets for 170.
2023: The Bills traded 205 to the Texans for 230 and a 2024 sixth-round pick.
2023: The Bears traded 61 and 136 to the Jaguars for 56.
2023: The Eagles traded 62 to the Texans for 65, 188, and 230. Either side of this deal works as a comp for the Patriots.
2023: The Chiefs traded 63, 1222, and 249 to the Lions for 55 and 194.
2023: The Eagles traded 62 to the Texans for 65, 188, and 230. Either side of this deal works as a comp for the Patriots.
2023: The Chiefs traded 63, 1222, and 249 to the Lions for 55 and 194.
2021: The Texans traded 203 and 212 to the Bills for 174.
2021: The Colts traded 206 to the Saints for 218 and 229.
2020: The Vikings traded 201 and 219 to the Ravens for 225 and a 2021 fifth-round pick.
212th overall pick
2023: The Bills traded 215 to the Rams for 252 and a 2024 sixth-round pick.
2022: The Rams traded 218 to the Buccaneers for 235 and 261.
2021: The Bears traded 208 to the Seahawks for 217 and 250.
2020: The patriots traded 212 and 213 to the Colts for 182. They moved up to take Mike Onwenu.
247th overall pick
2025: The Chiefs traded 251 and 257 to the Patriots for 228.
2020: The Dolphins traded 215 to the Seahawks for a 2021 sixth-round pick.