Patriots Should Trade for Packers LB

The New England Patriots should pursue a trade for a young Green Bay Packers linebacker.
Dec 31, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (7) and linebacker Eric Wilson (45) react after a sack by Walker against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Dec 31, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (7) and linebacker Eric Wilson (45) react after a sack by Walker against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
In this story:

The New England Patriots are heading into what could be a wild NFL offseason.

After hiring Mike Vrabel to be the team's new head coach on Sunday, the Patriots are now ready to attack the offseason and improve the roster. There are quite a few ways that they could go about doing that.

Obviously, the offense needs to be improved around quarterback Drake Maye. He needs a top-tier wide receiver to throw to and he needs a better offensive line. Those are going to be two of the team's main priorities in the offseason.

Defensively, New England could use some help as well. The Patriots need to bring in a better pass rush and they could use an upgrade at both linebacker and in the secondary too.

Basically, the team is in a place where they simply need to stockpile talent. There is one linebacker who could be available that New England should try to acquire via a trade.

Pro Football Focus has named Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker as a potential trade candidate this offseason. If he is placed on the trade block, the Patriots should try to make a move for him.

Walker is just 24 years old and has shown flashes of big-time potential. He has not been the most consistent linebacker for the Packers, but there is plenty of time for him to continue developing his game.

During the 2024 NFL season, Walker ended up playing in 13 games. He racked up 102 total tackles to go along with 2.5 sacks and two defended passes.

Bringing Walker in would give New England a much-improved linebacker corps. He would be an immediate starter in the middle of the defense and could learn a lot from Vrabel.

What kind of price tag would it take to acquire Walker if Green Bay was open to trading him? More than likely, a fourth-round pick would be the asking price. They could even be looking for a third-round pick.

If that is indeed the asking price, the Patriots should pay it.

This is clearly all speculation at this point in time, but Walker would be a perfect pickup for the New England defense. He is a tackling machine and has the athleticism to move across the field well.

It's not a sure thing that he will be available for trade, but the Patriots should strongly consider pursuing him.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!


Published
Evan Massey
EVAN MASSEY

Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers college football, the NFL and NBA. He has contributed to the On SI network since July 2021. He has also written for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.