Could the Patriots Trade for a Veteran QB This Offseason?

With all this uncertainty in New England regarding Tom Brady's future, the Patriots seem to be scouring the trade market, in the event their quarterback does not return.

It should come as no surprise that the New England Patriots are exploring all options in the event that Tom Brady joins another team during free agency this offseason. This is why Mike Garafolo reported yesterday during NFL Network's "NFL Gameday" that the Patriots have quietly been exploring the idea of trading for a veteran quarterback, in case Tom Brady were to leave. 

The Super Bowl LIV @NFLGameDay Notebook with @MikeGarafolo:
-- The #Patriots are willing to pay Tom Brady in excess of $30M if that's what's required to keep him.
-- The #Chargers among teams expected to make a push.
-- New England's fall back options include trading for a QB. pic.twitter.com/G4dxkUQmTh

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 2, 2020

Now the question arises: who could the Patriots possibly trade for? 

A Brady departure would ding New England with a $13.4 million hit against the cap in dead money. Trading for any real established veterans would push the QB positional spending for 2020 up above $30 million, with a $20+ million a year contract and a $13.4 million cap hit for Brady. 

Among established veteran quarterbacks (those on their second contract in the NFL), only one is slated to have a cap hit under $20 million. That is Carson Wentz, at about $18.6 million, per Spotrac. Due to that not making a lot of economic sense, the Patriots would likely have to turn to a veteran who is still on their rookie deal. Some candidates include:

-Josh Rosen

-Mason Rudolph

-Gardner Minshew 

None of them are overly intriguing, although Minshew would certainly bring some spunk and excitement for sure. 

In the end, even without looking at money, New England would have to give something up to trade for a quarterback. Quarterbacks are not easy to trade for and can require lots of draft picks, as they play such an important position. 

This is evident with the 49ers, who traded a second round pick for a quarterback who started two career games beforehand (aka Jimmy Garoppolo). In addition, Rosen, who had a very mediocre rookie season, was then shipped off to the Dolphins during the draft last year for a second and fifth round pick. 

While trading for a quarterback might not appear to make a whole lot of sense, it's good to see the Patriots are exploring all their options and preparing for anything.