Will the Patriots be looking at tight end as a No. 1 target?

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. TE as top target? Coming off a week in which the Patriots made a seismic shift at wide receiver by moving on from a team leader and No. 1 target Stefon Diggs, the obvious question is how they plan to fill the void.

Steve Smith, who played receiver in the NFL for 16 seasons and is now an NFL Network analyst with a specialty in evaluating wide receiver play, wonders if many are looking in the wrong direction.

“I think the thing people aren’t paying attention to with New England is the tight end position. They may do some things that may shock some people,” Smith said in a phone interview. “It’s the history of the coordinator. Think about what Josh [McDaniels] has always had in his offense.”

It would be a significant misdirection play. With the legal negotiating period of free agency beginning Monday at noon ET, could the Patriots possibly make their biggest financial investment at tight end — where Isaiah Likely (Ravens) and Chig Okonkwo (Titans) are among the top players available — while sticking closer to the status quo at receiver?

It’s an outside-the-box thought highlighting why the upcoming week is often one of the most compelling on the football calendar. Because while there has been widespread speculation on how the Patriots will approach free agency and the trade market, there have been few tangible answers on what coach Mike Vrabel, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden, and vice president of football operations and strategy John Streicher (& Co.) are planning to do.

This is unlike 2025 when Vrabel promised an aggressive free agency approach and then spearheaded it with impressive efficiency. The main thing Vrabel has said this year is that when he wants something, he usually gets to buy it. And that building competition and depth throughout the roster is critical as the Patriots remain committed to a long-term outlook.

The Patriots have the salary cap space (around $57 million) and cash to make moves, even as they strategize around an expected mega-extension for cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

One hot-button media-based question is how they view the possibility/likelihood of trading for Eagles receiver A.J. Brown. Smith isn’t sold that would be the best move for New England, in part because of the projected high cost to acquire him that would include a first-round pick, and how his presence/target share would affect the growth of younger receivers such as Kayshon Boutte (fourth year) and 2025 third-round pick Kyle Williams.

“It’s a really good young [receiver] core. The only way your young core really starts to develop is baptism by fire,” he said. “Now I think they’re trying to figure out who can take the place of Diggs with the underneath stuff, which he exceled at. Josh has always loved a guy that can carve up the defense in the short areas, and behind the line of scrimmage, almost like a run play. [Danny] Amendola. Wes Welker. Then it turns into Diggs. He’s always had that in his offensive arsenal.”

Smith added that if the projected high trade cost for Brown comes down, his viewpoint could shift, but his general belief is that when “you have a young quarterback and a young core of receivers, letting those guys grow together makes it better long-term for the receiver core and quarterback.”

It’s also possible that 2025 undrafted free agent Efton Chism III, whose short-area quickness makes him a potential slot replacement for Diggs, is a greater part of that mix alongside Boutte, Williams, veteran Mack Hollins (“clutch guy”) and Pop Douglas.

Regardless of whether the Patriots add a receiver, Smith’s point is that a case could be made that tight end remains a greater need because it would unlock more options for McDaniels.

In addition, top returnee Hunter Henry is 31 years old, played 1,067 offensive snaps last season, and is entering the final year of his contract. No. 2 Austin Hooper, who is also 31, is an unrestricted free agent. Developmental prospects CJ Dippre (Alabama) and Marshall Lang (Northwestern) are also on the roster.

Vrabel noted the depth of this year’s draft class at the position, but perhaps the Patriots — in a week where Diggs’ departure has shined the spotlight more at receiver — are thinking bigger than that.

If so, Smith will have called his shot.

2. Brown’s contract: If the Patriots plan to pursue a trade for Brown, this is the cash value of the remaining years of his contract:

• 2026: $29 million

• 2027: $21 million

• 2028: $32 million

• 2029: $31 million

Brown was guaranteed $84 million when he signed his most recent three-year extension in Philadelphia, but the majority of that has already been paid by the Eagles. Considering how the market has spiked for receivers, with Ja’Marr Chase setting the pace at $40 million per season, the contract wouldn’t be an obstacle for New England — especially over the next two seasons.

The bigger challenge, it would seem, is reaching agreement on trade compensation that would likely include the Patriots’ 2026 first-round pick at a minimum.

3. McDuffie effect: The Chiefs agreeing to trade cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Rams in exchange for a package of picks that includes a 2026 first-rounder (No. 29) will have a trickle-down effect in New England.

McDuffie enters the final year of his contract and the Rams wouldn’t have made the trade without the intention of signing him to a top-of-the-market extension, which will further shape the market for Gonzalez if the Patriots don’t strike their own deal before that point.

4. Gibbens’ future: Clarity should be coming this week with Patriots restricted free agent linebacker Jack Gibbens. Because the tenders for restricted free agents have spiked — $8.04 million for first round, $5.76 million for second round, $3.52 million for right of first refusal — there are a growing number of players across the league who aren’t receiving a tender (e.g. cornerback Alex Austin) or are agreeing to multi-year extensions and giving up the chance to hit unrestricted free agency in 2027 (e.g. offensive lineman Ben Brown, quarterback Tommy DeVito).

It’s hard to imagine the Patriots walking away from the valuable Gibbens, who stepped in for injured starter Robert Spillane down the stretch as the primary communicator wearing the green dot on his helmet, so the right-of-first-refusal tender would be the likely target.

5. Henry in town: The Patriots’ voluntary offseason program doesn’t begin until April 20, but Henry, the veteran tight end, is among those who have been present at Gillette Stadium in recent weeks. It is a reminder of the roots that Henry, an Arkansas native, has grown in New England as he enters his sixth season with the franchise.

6. Future picks: With the Patriots set to acquire a 2027 fifth-round pick from the Bears in exchange for center Garrett Bradbury, it keeps them well stocked over the next two seasons. That could help if the team decides to get aggressive in pursuing a trade target such as Brown.

7. They said it: “You have to look at what a player is going to be asked to do, and what are the skills that are important to that position, and what metric is actually applicable to that. I was reviewing the [2026] combine results — the 40 times, I would say, across positions, this was as fast collectively as a group [in history]. Why is that? There’s so much training that goes into it, so they’re training specifically for these particularly drills. But I would three-quarters of the drills … aren’t a real-world application of what the player is going to do on the field.” — Texans executive VP and GM Nick Caserio, on a panel at the 2026 MIT Sloan Analytics Conference

8. Wills report: Former Browns left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., the 2020 first-round pick from Alabama who took 2025 off to heal a prior knee injury, is looking to get back in the game and his visits last week included the Patriots, Bears and Lions.

Vrabel, of course, crossed paths with him in 2024 while serving as a Browns consultant. Wills’ physical traits have never been in question, but his motivation has, and the visits gave him a chance to sell himself to teams.

9. Downing’s message: Receivers coach Todd Downing was easy to spot during drills at the NFL combine because of his bright red Patriots jacket, and NFL Network microphones picked up his message to prospects as he explained an over-the-shoulder catch drill.

Downing told them to enjoy the moment while also treating it like a job interview. His up-close view of the receiver class should complement scouts’ evaluations in what is considered a deep group.

10. Did You Know: The Patriots’ second-round pick is No. 63, and if they keep it, this year will mark the third time in franchise history they’ve selected a player at that slot. The others are tight end Marv Cook (Iowa, 1989) and defensive lineman Marquise Hill (LSU, 2004).