Should the Patriots make a trade at the deadline? The conversation between Curran and Perry originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NFL trade market is heating up with the deadline just three weeks away.

Two blockbuster deals involving star wide receivers were completed in the AFC East on Tuesday. The New York Jets acquired Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders and the Buffalo Bills responded with Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns.

Since the New England Patriots are currently 1-5 this season, they are not expected to be able to compete in the AFC East arms race. But as they look to bolster their promising young quarterback Drake Maye, it may make more sense to improve the roster through trades rather than relying on the free agent market next spring.

Wide receiver and offensive line are the most pressing needs on the Patriots’ roster as the deadline approaches. Should Eliot Wolf and Co. address these positions before the November 5th deadline? Our Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry discussed the topic in the latest edition of the Patriots Talk Podcast.

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“Teams understand how important these guys are and how important it is to have a healthy ecosystem offensively over long periods of time so that you can grow together, develop and actually compete year in and year out,” Perry said. “Doesn’t that mean the Patriots should perhaps look for trades even now?

“That sounds weird because you wouldn’t look at a 1-5 team as a team that should be buying in any way, shape or form when it comes to the trade market. But when you think about the future, you don’t look.” Give up some draft capital? That hurts, and the draft picks help, but if you want to make sure you have a real player right away that can help Drake Maye and maximize what you want if you have a Drake Maye contract in the next few years “Before – as you hope – trying to extend him with a big deal, they should try to get deals done as quickly as possible.”

Barring any surprises, the Patriots will have a premium first-round draft pick for the second straight year. Curran believes it’s time for New England to consider bringing its first-rounder into play in potential deals after taking its franchise quarterback third overall in the 2024 draft.

“Maybe not now, but they should think about what they’re doing with their top five picks and say, ‘Okay, it ends up being one, two or three again, that’s when we trade down. ‘ “We have our quarterback, someone else is going to want something specific, now we can trade down,” Curran said. “And that gives them artillery that they can trade around the league.”

Also in the episode:

• What did Louis Riddick think of Drake Mayes’ first start?

• Jerod Mayo on the status of reconstruction.

• How winnable is Sunday’s game for the Patriots?

• Robert Kraft explains why he fired Bill Belichick.