New England Patriots: 3 players who desperately need to be traded
By Sam Minton
![Oct 25, 2020; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton (1) throws a pass against the San Francisco 49ers in the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports Oct 25, 2020; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton (1) throws a pass against the San Francisco 49ers in the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/d968ce24d0082637420c902262dbdbcc6b489d8a52749dcbd69f8b9dedfdc6e3.jpg)
Stephon Gilmore
The top player on the Patriots trade block should be Stephon Gilmore. He is arguably the Patriots’ best trade asset.
Gilmore is coming off one of his best seasons in 2019. He was named the Defensive Player of the Year and was a foundational part of the Patriots defense.
But 2020 has been terrible for Gilmore. Quarterbacks are not afraid to throw the ball his way and he has been forced to commit penalties after wide receivers have blown by him.
Still opposing teams will want to acquire Gilmore. He can still be a top corner for a contending team.
If the Patriots were to give up Gilmore, they would still be fine. J.C. Jackson and Jonathan Jones have been some of the best cornerbacks for the Patriots this season. These guys are the future of the secondary.
Now that the Patriots are known sellers it will be difficult for the Patriots to get a first-round pick for Gilmore. The likely conclusion is that New England gets a second-round pick for the corner.
There is no way that the Patriots will be able to re-sign Gilmore. He will command a large salary and get quite the payday when he hits the free agency market.
So the Patriots need to get rid of Gilmore while they can still get something in return for him.