Could the Patriots double-dip ahead of the NFL trade deadline?
Many expect the New England Patriots to be sellers ahead of next week’s NFL trade deadline, but a new report suggests they may be looking to add as well.
With the team sitting at 2-6 – even coming off of a win over the New York Jets last week – the New England Patriots seem set to be sellers ahead of this year’s NFL trade deadline (Tuesday, No. 5 at 4:00). In fact, the team already made one such move when it traded linebacker Joshua Uche to the Kansas City Chiefs to begin this week.
While the team has already started selling, could it also be looking to buy? That’s the situation, according to a new report.
“I’m told the Patriots are monitoring the trade market to potentially add talent at WR, DT or T positions on the heels of the rousing 25-22 win of the NY Jets, per source,” NFL insider Josina Anderson posted on X/Twitter on Tuesday night.
The news of the Patriots potentially looking to add may be surprising, given their record and the fact they’ve already traded a player away. At the same time if they are going to bring in players those positions named by Anderson are the three that would make the most sense. Wide receiver and offensive tackle have long been needs, while defensive tackle (and defensive line as a whole, really) has emerged as a need this year due to injuries. Through eight games the Patriots rank bottom 10 in the league in rushing yards allow, pressure rate, and sacks.
So, what would the Patriots adding look like? Most likely, it would be the Patriots targeting a younger player who would help them for the future. Early on, the moves leading up to the deadline suggest a buyers’ market, something the team could look to take advantage of.
For instance, back in the spring wide receiver Dionate Johnson was traded from the Steelers to the Panthers for 28-year-old starting cornerback Donte Jackson and a sixth-round pick. Fast forward a few months and on Tuesday, Johnson was flipped to the Baltimore Ravens in a pick-swap deal that saw the Panthers move from a high sixth to a low fifth.
There is precedent for this kind of move, even including more premium draft capital. Just last year when the Chicago Bears were 2-6, they traded a second-round pick to the Washington Commanders for edge rusher Montez Sweat. Sweat was scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season, but ended up signing a four-year extension with Chicago.
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By making that move, the Bears were able to check off one of their offseason needs ahead of time. Plus, they avoided having to bid against other teams in free agency for Sweat.
With a second-round pick and two third-round picks, the Patriots do have some Day 2 draft flexibility if there is a player they think is worth it. One name to keep in mind might be Tee Higgins. Like Sweat, Higgins is in the final year of his contract. With the Bengals sitting at 3-5, moving on from a player who his on his way out to add future assets would make sense. While it’s been reported the Bengals aren’t likely to move Higgins at the deadline, the Patriots’ draft stock is a unique bargaining chip this time of year.
There are also notable edge rushers on expiring deals. 25-year-old Chase Young, who was moved at last year’s deadline for a third-round pick, could be expendable to a 2-6 New Orleans Saints team. The Denver Broncos are could be looking to move two of their edge rushers in Baron Browning and Jonathan Cooper, according to NFL Network.
When it comes to the offensive tackle position, players are rarely moved – even from bad teams – due to an overall shortage of talent at the position around the league. However that market was set by a deal on Tuesday, with the Jacksonville Jaguars trading tackle Cam Robinson and a seventh-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings in a pick swap deal that will send a conditional fifth (can become a fourth) back to Jacksonville.
As the Patriots consider all of that, they are still looking to move on from players as well. SI’s Albert Breer shared on NBC Sports Boston Tuesday night that the team has gotten calls on multiple players, highlighting wide receivers K.J. Osborn and Tyquan Thornton.
Buying and selling are not mutually exclusive. The Patriots could do both – moving on from their own expiring free agents who aren’t a part of the future, while also getting a jump start on checking boxes on their offseason to-do list. As is always the case this time of year, it’s just about finding the right situations.