The Patriots have a golden opportunity to pull off a blockbuster trade for a special offensive weapon

The New England Patriots need a wide receiver. This isn’t anything new, but it’s more evident this offseason because the team leads the NFL in salary cap space, and because now is the perfect time to add pieces around quarterback Drake Maye while he’s in his rookie contract.

So the fact that the Los Angeles Rams want to trade away veteran receiver Cooper Kupp should be viewed as a golden opportunity to make it happen.

And don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of risk with this type of move. Kupp will be 32 by the start of next season, he is not a cheap player, and he missed 18 games in the last three seasons because of a series of injuries.

But at this point, there are more reasons to pull the trigger.

Why it makes sense

The Rams have been extremely aggressive, both to acquire and to sell players. They moved on from Jalen Ramsey for a third-round pick a few years back. The compensation package for Kupp won’t be that high.

It’s fair to think that maybe even a fourth- or fifth-round pick will be enough to make it happen, because the market for older receivers isn’t very fruitful.

And that’s where the situation gets perfect for the Patriots. Instead of only spending money in free agency, where sometimes good players get great money, it’s smart to use the cap space as a way to buy a somewhat expensive player, but who can still make his contract be worth it.

Kupp has two years left in his current deal. He is slated to make $20 million in 2025 and $19.85 million in 2026. While this is a significant amount of money, it’s not that high based on the current situation of the wide receiver market.

Moreover, the Patriots have an absurd $120 million in available cap space. Not only can they spend a lot, they must eventually reach the cap floor.

Making Drake Maye’s life easier is priority number one for Eliot Wolf and Mike Vrabel, so acquiring Kupp aligns well with that approach.

Even though Kupp missed five games last season, he was still able to generate 67 receptions, 710 receiving yards, and six touchdowns. His intelligence to get open would be helpful, and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels knows how to maximize a slot receiver.

At this point of his career, Cooper Kupp is not for everyone. But he is for the Patriots, who are in the perfect position to make it happen.