The NFL trade deadline is never as fun as other sports, but moves could and should be made by the New England Patriots.
The NFL trade deadline is 4 PM EST on October 31st. I don’t think the New England Patriots will make a move by then, but they should. In this piece, I’ve outlined some ideal trade scenarios that would address some immediate needs. The defense seems to be figuring things out, but a little extra help is always nice. The offense, led by Tom Brady, is
The Patriots defense seems to be figuring things out, but a little extra help is always nice. The offense, led by Tom Brady, is firing on all cylinders but I somehow feel like they could do even more. There is little production from the backup tight ends, and another receiver could really open things up with Julian Edelman down.
As always, let me know your thoughts on these trade ideas on Twitter @CandCFansided.
Buccaneers DT Chris Baker
Alan Branch has not lived up to expectations, and Chris Baker is upset with his lack of playing time in Tampa Bay. A change of scenery could be beneficial for both players in this scenario.
Baker is clearly the better player in the deal, so New England would likely have to toss in a draft pick to get him. The Bucs interior defensive lineman is 30-years old and he’s under contract through 2019. Branch is 32 and the Patriots have a club option for 2018. At this point, I’d say that wouldn’t be picked up.
This is a moe that makes sense for both clubs, and they’re familiar with one another having already played this season. Honestly, this is a small move that could pay off for a few years.
Texans LT Duane Brown
Nate Solder has underperformed as the teams left tackle. He’s dealing with a ton of personal issues with his son, but the Patriots can’t allow that to lead to poor play. Perhaps a move to right tackle would be beneficial for Solder.
In this scenario, New England would send right tackle Cameron Fleming and a 5th Round Pick to Houston for Duane Brown. No one seems to know if he’s actually available, but there are a lot of signs pointing in the direction that he is. Fleming has been one of the most consistent Patriots on the offensive line this season, but Brown is a guy that can succeed and excel protecting Brady’s blindside.
Duane Brown is under contract for this season and the next, while Solder will be a free agent at the end of the season. The Texans would be taking him on a rental for the remainder of the year, which is why the extra draft pick is necessary to get this deal done. This is a deal that I don’t particularly love for New England, but in theory, it does make sense.
Cowboys WR Cole Beasley
The Patriots have been fine on offense, but they could be even better in my opinion. Julian Edelman has been missed, even though Chris Hogan and Danny Amendola have stepped up. Of course, Brandin Cooks has been great and he could play the slot but I think he’s needed on the outside even more. Phillip Dorsett hasn’t really done much at all.
New England could look into adding 28-year old slot receiver Cole Beasley from the Dallas Cowboys. He’s the type of player I think Patriots fans would love, as he’s all about hustle. The Cowboys need some help stopping the run, so in exchange for Beasley, the Patriots could send linebacker David Harris and defensive tackle Alan Branch to Dallas.
This move may be able to make the Patriots offense even more explosive with a true slot receiver on the field. He’d be in New England through 2018, and when paired in an offense with Edelman, the Patriots could be unstoppable.
Lions TE Eric Ebron
Let’s be honest here. Letting Martellus Bennett walk and sign with Green Bay was a bad decision. The Patriots instead brought in former Colts tight end Dwayne Allen to backup Rob Gronkowski, and he’s done absolutely nothing.
Through 7 games, Allen has been targeted by Tom Brady just 6 times, and he still hasn’t recorded a reception. Even third-stringer Jacob Hollister has 2 catches. Last season, Bennett had 55 receptions and 7 touchdowns. Through 7 games, he had 4 of those scores, and that was before Gronk was injured. Dwayne Allen is just simply disappointing.
It’s time to send Allen to Detroit for Eric Ebron. In his 4th season in the NFL, Ebron has disappointed in 2017 for the Lions. He has #1 TE potential, but Detroit may be ready to move on from him. Through 6 games Ebron has 13 catches and 1 touchdown. I think he would perform even better in New England and would certainly be an upgrade over Dwayne Allen.
Saints OLB Hau’oli Kikaha
Not a household name in the league, Kikaha is a solid pass rusher. The Saints seem to want to trade him as well, making this an ideal situation.
With the #Saints in the trading mood following the Adrian Peterson deal, here is a possible trade name to keep an eye on: LB Hau'oli Kikaha.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 15, 2017
With 20 career games under his belt, Kikaha has 6 sacks. He played in 15 games in 2015 with 4 sacks, but he has 2 sacks in just 5 games this season. He missed the entire 2016 season after tearing his ACL. The Laie, Hawaii native was a 3-star recruit out of Kahuku High School — a powerhouse on the island of Oahu — and played his college football at the University of Washington. In 2015 he was a 2nd Round Pick for the Saints, but he clearly hasn’t lived up to expectations.
Bill Belichick has a great track record when it comes to turning unheralded guys around like he did with Jamie Collins and Kyle Van Noy. Hau’oli Kikaha could be his next product. If a trade does get done for the Patriots, I’d bet on it being this one.
Next: Bademosi shining for Patriots
New England will surely explore some trade deadline options, I’m just not sold on the fact that they’ll make a move. In my opinion, one or two of these moves would make them the clear AFC favorite to make the Super Bowl, but they may get to that point without any moves at all. Do you think the Patriots should make a move before October 31st? IS there a move you’d like to see made that I didn’t mention in this post? Let us all know your thoughts on Twitter @CandCFansided!