Patriots-Terry McLaurin connection proves Mike Vrabel reality fans love

As the New England Patriots embark on a new era under Mike Vrabel, the vibes are incredibly high. There have been a few bumps in the road — Stefon Diggs' mystery boat substance, Drake Maye's wobbly OTAs performance, even questions over Will Campbell as the No. 4 pick — but overall, it's clear the Patriots are moving in the right direction.

Better yet, it feels like New England has made a point to keep getting better, with Vrabel as a proven winner and Maye clearly established as their franchise quarterback for the next decade-plus, ideally. Diggs is still with the team and positioned as an accomplished, dependable WR1, the likes of which New England has not seen in years. But the Pats could also target another top-shelf wideout, with Washington Commanders Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin generating ample trade buzz.

Terry McLaurin is 'frustrated' with lack of progress in extension talks, which could put Patriots on his radar

McLaurin made his second Pro Bowl appearance last season, posting 1,096 receiving yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns as Jayden Daniels' favorite target. Still in the prime of his career at 29 years old, he should have a few solid campaigns left in the tank — more than enough to justify an investment from a Patriots team desperate to improve its offense.

There has been a frustrating lack of progress on extension talks in DC, per Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz. As such, trade rumors are beginning to fly around, with New England positioned as an obvious landing spot. B/R's Kristopher Knox makes his pitch:

"McLaurin, meanwhile, showed last season that he can be a tremendous asset for a young, developing quarterback. He didn't have the best statistical season of his career when paired with Daniels, but the two were an incredibly efficient duo—McLaurin provided a quarterback rating of 133.0 when targeted."

It's fair to question if New England should invest in two aging wide receivers, instead of waiting for options more aligned with Maye's timeline, but McLaurin is worth the risk. He brings immediate value to a team that feels capable of taking a major step forward in 2025.

How Terry McLaurin would raise New England's ceiling

To be frank, the Patriots' WR room is still lacking on the depth front. Diggs is an elite talent with a long track record of success, but he's also a 31-year-old coming off of major knee surgery. It doesn't help that he has already been a distraction off the field, leading to a brief period of speculation that he may not even make it to Week 1 on the Patriots roster.

Diggs was at practice this week and it feels like he will stick. But even before the injury last season, Diggs was situated behind Nico Collins on the Houston Texans depth chart. There's a good chance he is entering a new phase of his career, where leaning on him as the clear-cut No. 1 target will yield diminishing returns for an offense. Trading for McLaurin relieves pressure on Diggs and gives Maye a wider array of options.

Mack Hollins brings more veteran know-how to the WR room in Foxboro, but he's much better cast as WR3, not WR2. DeMario Douglas showed flashes as an NFL sophomore and he has clear chemistry with Maye, but it's hard to bank on him just yet. The same can be said for rookie Kyle Williams, or even 2024 second-round pick Ja'Lynn Polk, who fell dramatically short of expectations in his first professional campaign.

The Patriots' WR room feels like it is missing that one, game-changing star who makes life easier on everyone else. McLaurin fits the bill. He knows what it takes to build a relationship with a young quarterback, as evidenced by his fast chemistry with Maye's draft peer in Jayden Daniels. Moreover, McLaurin's ability to take the lid off the defense and generate yards after the catch should play well next to Maye, whose baseline appeal starts with a turbo-charged arm and big-play flare.