Eliot Wolf says Patriots open to aggressive, trade-up draft scenario

The New England Patriots are open to moving up in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf on Monday.

The team owns 11 picks in the draft, including the No. 31 overall pick in the first round. New England will see a great many top prospects come off the board before selecting for the first time in the draft. However, they are positioned to leverage picks that they have in their pot, as well as players of value on their roster, in order to strike a deal with another team for a more favorable pick in the first round.

Speaking in front of the media at his press conference on Monday, Wolf stated that the Patriots are flexible when it comes to moving up in the draft order this year.

"We're open to anything," Wolf said. "Whatever way we can possibly improve the team we're open to. We have 11 picks. Most of those are, kind of, later in the draft. But we do have some flexibility with those 11 picks, and I think it'll depend a little bit on how the board falls if we view that there's a player that, whether he is falling or there’s somebody that we think we need to go get, we'll be open to those opportunities."

The Patriots need a talented edge rusher, as well as a wide receiver, to put the finishing touches on their roster this spring. New England is projected to have several highly-touted prospects within reach at No. 31 overall on draft day.

Nevertheless, moving up in the order will give the Patriots a greater chance to land an elite prospect, such as Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, USC WR Makai Lemon or Auburn defensive end Keldric Faulk earlier in the first round.

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Eliot Wolf says Patriots open to aggressive, trade-up draft scenario