The New England Patriots won’t have wide receiver A.J. Brown for at least a few more weeks. With that in mind, wide receiver trade rumors continued to circulate around the team before the upcoming Buffalo Bills showdown.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox included Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston on his NFL trade big board entering Week 4. Knox named the Patriots one of two potential suitors for Johnston.
The BR analyst also projected the Chargers wideout to be worth a conditional 2027 fifth-round pick.
“If the losses continue to pile up, the Chargers will have to seriously consider selling off excess pieces. Quentin Johnston has suddenly become one of them,” wrote Knox.
“The fourth-year receiver topped 700 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons but has been an afterthought in Mike McDaniel’s offense. He has just six catches for 64 yards through three weeks and has watched Tre’ Harris take over the WR2 role opposite Ladd McConkey.
“Johnston should still interest receiver-needy teams, though, as he has a high physical ceiling and another year on his rookie contract—Los Angeles did exercise his fifth-year option.”
In addition to his physicality, Johnston is a deep-ball threat, which is why he was a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
“Johnston is a long-striding vertical threat who can open up and separate when allowed to keep his feet moving in space,” wrote NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein during the 2023 draft process. “His elevation and catch radius create an expansive target area down the field, but his overall success rate on contested catches is way lower than it should be for a receiver of his size.
“Johnston needs a specific route tree, but will improve in that area at the next level. He will benefit from a more accurate deep-ball quarterback.”
Patriots Urged to Acquire Chargers WR Quentin Johnston
The Patriots offense has been dismal to begin the 2026 NFL season. New England’s played tough defenses, but the unit appears to need a spark, especially with no Brown for at least another month.
Johnston could provide that with his downfield capabilities.
Last season, Johnston averaged 14.4 yards per catch. He’s posted just 10.7 yards per reception this season, but a change of scenery could benefit the 25-year-old. Johnston has just six catches in the Chargers three losses this season.
Granted, Johnston’s struggles are part of why the Chargers are winless. The wideout leads the team with 17 targets but has just 64 receiving yards because only 35.3% of his targets have resulted in catches.
The Patriots could acquire Johnston relatively cheaply if he only costs a conditional mid-Day 3 pick. He’s on an affordable rookie contract this season. Next year will be the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which will pay him about $16.5 million.
Why the Patriots Might Pause on Acquiring WR
There are a couple reasons why the Patriots might not fulfill the September trade rumors and acquire another receiver.
New England already gave up two draft picks for Brown, including their 2027 fifth-round choice. The Patriots also sent a 2028 first-rounder to the Philadelphia Eagles in that deal.
New England has another fifth-round pick in 2027. The team, though, might be hesitant to trade that one away for another wideout who’s going to be a lot more expensive next season.
While Johnston could provide a spark with Brown sidelined and could find a role as a WR3 when Brown returns, Johnston’s expensive fifth-year option could give the Patriots pause. So could the team’s record.
There’s no guarantee a new receiver that he has no previous experience in New England’s offense or with Drake Maye will break the Patriots quarterback out of his funk. And if the 2026 season starts looking like a lost year, the Patriots would be wise to be sellers rather than buyers.
There’s still a lot of time for New England to prove it will contend this year. It’s too early to say the team will definitely sell at the November 10 trade deadline.
It just doesn’t look like the Patriots will 100% be buyers.
For those reasons, one could probably consider a Patriots trade for Johnston a bit unlikely. But it’s something the team should consider if it is fully committed to finding ways to improve this fall.
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