Two Offseason Trades Patriots Should Have Made But Didn’t originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Patriots have done a great job of filling some roster gaps this offseason by targeting top-tier free agents on the market, such as wide receiver Romeo Doubs and guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. However, they could also have made a few trades to improve the roster further. Here are two trades New England should’ve considered making but didn’t.

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Michael Pittman Jr.

All eyes were on the Colts as everyone waited to see if they would allow free agent wide receiver Alec Pierce to leave their facility. There were rumors that the Patriots could be a potential destination if he departed Indianapolis. But the Colts ultimately agreed, signing him to a four-year, $114 million deal on the first day of the league’s tampering period.

Since the Patriots couldn’t land Pierce, they missed the opportunity to secure another Colts wide receiver in Michael Pittman Jr.

Shortly after the Colts finalized a deal with Pierce, they traded Pittman to the Steelers. In this exchange, the Steelers received Pittman along with a seventh-round pick in the 2026 draft, while the Colts acquired a sixth-round pick in the same draft year.

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The draft capital wasn’t much for a receiver who racked up 5,254 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns over six seasons. New England should have considered trading with the Colts for Pittman. Yet it’s also possible the Patriots didn’t want to commit to the three-year, $59 million contract extension Pittman received, which may be why they didn’t make a trade.

Andy Dalton

The Patriots don’t need a starting quarterback, but they should be exploring all options to improve their No. 2 backup quarterback.

Backup quarterbacks Joshua Dobbs and Tommy DeVito are decent options, but New England could have brought in Dalton to serve as Maye’s backup. This move might have made Patriots fans feel more confident, considering Dalton has started 169 games over 15 seasons.

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The Eagles ended up trading a 2027 seventh-round pick for Dalton, and the Patriots could have made that same trade to ensure they have a backup with plenty of experience, just in case Drake Maye were to miss a handful of games.

More NFL: Why Patriots Should Sign This Eight-Time Pro Bowler Instead Of Trading For A.J. Brown