New England Patriots: 3 positions of need as trade deadline approaches

The New England Patriots find themselves at an interesting position as we near the halfway point of the NFL season. They have been competitive in every game they have played so far, but have only managed to pull out three wins. Despite sporting a losing record, they are still in the thick of the AFC Wild Card race, with the team showing a lot of positive developments over the last couple of weeks.

Something that certainly bears watching is the upcoming NFL trade deadline, which is set to take place in less than a week now. Given the salary cap constraints the league has in place, the trade deadline in the NFL isn’t the same spectacle that it is in a league like the MLB for example. While the moves may be few, there’s a chance that the Patriots could be involved in the action.

Whether that’s as a buyer or seller remains to be seen, and how they fare in their Week 8 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers could very well determine their strategy heading into the deadline. Given how crowded the middle pack of teams is in the AFC is though (the Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs currently have the same record for what it’s worth) it would be surprising to see this team deal away key pieces even if they fall to 3-5 after this weekend.

So with that in mind, it seems likely that if any moves are made, they will be made to bring talent to the team rather than give it away. Let’s take a look at three areas of need that the team could look to address at the trade deadline, starting with a position that has been lacking ever since the offseason.