The New England Patriots have had quite a bit of drama surrounding head coach Mike Vrabel ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, but after he finally addressed the media on Tuesday, the team can shift its full focus to the draft. Armed with the No. 31 overall pick, the Pats have 11 selections, giving them the flexibility to do pretty much whatever they please during the three-day event.
Considering how the Pats are fresh off a Super Bowl run, they can pretty much select the best player available with this pick. While they don’t exactly need draft capital, they could trade back from this pick as well if they see fit. One team that could be looking to move back into the first round is the Arizona Cardinals, with NFL analyst Ben Solak of ESPN recently laying out a pitch that would see them make a move for Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson.
Patriots Urged to Trade No. 31 Overall Pick to the Cardinals
New England has several areas it could look to fill at the No. 31 pick. Pass rushing help, offensive line depth, and another young wide receiver with upside are all premium needs, and it feels like the team could go in any direction when it finds itself on the clock in the first round. It’s also fair to wonder whether or not a trade out of the first round entirely could be in the cards, too.
Several teams could be looking to trade back into the first round, with the Cardinals being one such team. Arizona has the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, but reports indicate they are actively looking to move off of that pick. While that wouldn’t be in play here, the Cards do have the No. 34 overall pick (second pick in the second round), which could be used to move back into the first round later in the night.
The reason this could be so appealing for them is because of their interest in Simpson, who is widely regarded as the second-best quarterback in this draft class behind Indiana Hoosiers stud Fernando Mendoza. If Arizona wants to ensure it doesn’t miss out on Simpson, while also giving itself the opportunity to add a fifth year onto his rookie contract, Solak believes that the Patriots could be willing to move off of the No. 31 pick if the price is right.
“There’s teams that I think will potentially do it,” Solak said on “NFL on ESPN” when discussing the Cardinals trading back into the first round for Simpson. “The Patriots at No. 31 would be a great opportunity to move back and to give the Cardinals that pick, charge a little quarterback premium, get some extra return.”
Should the Patriots Trade the No. 31 Pick to the Cardinals?
GettyGeneral Manager Eliot Wolf of the New England Patriots
As we mentioned earlier, the Pats are in a really good spot in this year’s draft, and their desire to move the No. 31 overall pick will likely depend on who is available when they are on the clock. If the front office loves a guy who is still on the board, it makes sense to stand pat and select him. But if they aren’t dead set on drafting someone, it sounds like they will have options to potentially trade back from this spot.
New England would have all the leverage in this potential trade with Arizona, which could help them get a nice return in exchange for this pick. The Patriots shouldn’t close themselves off to anything when it comes to the No. 31 pick, and depending on how the board shakes out, that could lead to them moving this selection to the Cardinals so that they can select their quarterback of the future.
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