By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Jay Glazer is as plugged in to the inner-workings of NFL front offices as any reporter in the game. So when he says teams are open for business, he means it. Glazer reported Thursday night that two of those teams looking to sell at the 2020 NFL trade deadline are the teams that then played each other, the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles.
There’s an obvious fit between the Giants and Patriots as trade partners. Giants head coach Joe Judge has a close relationship with Bill Belichick, and the team has the kind of talent at positions of need that the Pats could use if Belichick aims to bolster his roster by the Nov. 3 deadline. The Eagles have been a trade partner with the Patriots in the recent past, as well.
“The Eagles are usually a buyer’s market – this time around, they’ve been calling around, along with the New York Giants, telling other teams, ‘Look, we’re selling, we’re looking to trade some of our players, who do you like? Make us an offer for some of our guys,’” Glazer said on the Fox Sports pregame show.
The Giants and Eagles are the subject of major trade rumors in the NFL, and they have the kind of pieces that Bill Belichick may be interested in acquiring. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
You may remember when Glazer said the Patriots were in the market for a premium wide receiver. They then went out and acquired the likes of Antonio Brown and Josh Gordon in attempts to add legitimate firepower over Tom Brady’s final two seasons. Perhaps they look to do something similar, this time with the Giants or Eagles.
Chief among the trade chips in New York would be veteran wide receiver Golden Tate. The 32-year-old still has the toughness to play inside and the quickness to get separation and make plays down the field, as he showed Thursday night with a 39-yard touchdown catch. Under contract for two more years at a manageable $8.5 million and $6 million, Tate would provide an immediate boost to the Patriots offense and help bridge the gap from Julian Edelman to the next inside receiver.
The Giants also have a legitimate talent at tight end with Evan Engram, a solid athlete with proven pass-catching ability. Removed from the Giants’ quarterback-coach carousel and inserted into the Patriots’ consistent system, he’d have a chance to flourish with an immediate opportunity to start. Sterling Shepard, who returned from an injury Thursday and caught six passes for 59 yards and a touchdown, is another option at inside receiver, but is younger and under contract for longer than Tate.
In Philadelphia, injuries have hampered the Patriots’ ability to acquire impact talent at receiver and tight end. Veteran wideout Alshon Jeffery and tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert are all on the shelf. The Eagles are embracing a youth movement at wide receiver with the drafting of J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and John Hightower, plus the emergence of second-year receiver Travis Fulgham. So that may make veteran deep threat DeSean Jackson available at an affordable price.
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The 6-foot-6 Hakeem Butler has transitioned from receiver to tight end and felt like a good fit for the Pats entering the 2019 draft, where they selected a similar player in N’Keal Harry with the 32nd pick. But it may not make sense for the Eagles to ship out one of their younger, developing talents.
We’ll be sure to keep you updated with any fresh trade rumors across the NFL, especially as it relates to the Patriots. Belichick is typically active at the deadline, even for just minor moves. So the Giants and Eagles are worth monitoring in New England.
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Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff or send him a nasty email at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.