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.
New England Patriots position of need No. 3: Wide receiver
It’s seemed like the Patriots have needed help at wide receiver all season long. Coming into the season with a core group of Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, and Jakobi Meyers seemed OK at best, and that’s pretty much been the case for the first seven games so far. The thing is, this group hasn’t been the real reason that this team has lost games so far.
Each guy has had their own positive and negative plays, but it feels like the group is lacking a true star caliber wideout. Meyers has easily been the most consistent of the bunch, leading the way with 41 catches for 390 yards. Agholor and Bourne have each had their moments along the way, but have struggled to find any sort of consistency to start the season.
If the team wants to dip back into the wide receiver market, there are going to be options available at the deadline. The problem is that as of right now, there are two other positions that are much greater needs than wide receiver.
If New England decides to add a receiver, a name that has to be on their radar is Brandin Cooks. Not only has Cooks looked like a stud to start the season, while also having familiarity with the Pats system during his time with the team in 2017, but the Houston Texans appear to be close to trading away their troubled star quarterback Deshaun Watson. If Watson does end up getting moved, Cooks could be following him on the way out shortly thereafter.
Honestly, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this position get a bit thinner at the deadline, as the team could finally look to deal N’Keal Harry after he requested a trade over the offseason. The wide receiver room isn’t necessarily strong, but it’s held it’s own to start the season. If the team wants to add resources here, it could help them make a push for a wild card spot, but it seems more likely they would invest resources elsewhere.
New England Patriots position of need No. 2: Offensive line
The Pats offensive line was supposed to be a position of strength heading into the season, but instead, they have been the position that has been holding the offense back. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones has been under constant pressure all season long, and the running game has been sputtering for most of the season. Maybe a midseason move could help fix things up.
In fairness though, the fix may have already been found. Ever since Trent Brown picked up an injury in Week 1, the logical move seemed to be to move the current left guard, Michael Onwenu, to the right tackle spot he made his own last season. That would allow backup guard/center Ted Karras to slide right into the suddenly vacant left guard position without missing a beat.
The problem is this solution didn’t get put into place until halfway through their Week 6 game against the Dallas Cowboys. It wasn’t any surprise to see their offense kick things up a notch in the fourth quarter after stalling out for most of the second and third quarters. Then, when used against the New York Jets last week, the offense exploded for 54 points.
Maybe the solution is already in place, and things can only get better if Brown returns off the injured reserve. But adding another depth piece wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Justin Herron and Yasir Durant have both been horrible in their attempts to replace Brown at right tackle, and Isaiah Wynn has been pretty poor himself at the left tackle position too.
The Patriots obviously aren’t going to go swing a deal for a star offensive lineman, but a solid backup level player for a late round draft pick could be a huge help. The offensive line has been plagued by injuries and a COVID outbreak already, so adding another fresh face wouldn’t be the worst thing, and it may just be the difference between playing postseason football or watching it from the couch.
New England Patriots position of need No. 1: Cornerback
It’s a real shame the Patriots couldn’t figure out a deal with star cornerback Stephon Gilmore, because they could certainly use a player of his caliber in the secondary right about now. The cornerback group in particular has been hit hard recently, and it feels like if they don’t make a move at this position before the deadline, they could be in trouble come the second half of the season.
Losing Gilmore was certainly a blow, but it came to be expected a bit. Another blow was suffered this week when it was announced top slot corner Jonathan Jones was going to be forced to miss the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. Now the Pats are left scrambling trying to find bodies to fill in the rest of the cornerback depth chart, and a trade may be required to solve the issue.
J.C. Jackson remains as solid as ever atop the depth chart, and has cemented himself as a true number one corner this season. Jalen Mills started off the season strong, but has really struggled over the past two games, particularly against Dallas and CeeDee Lamb in Week 6. After that it was Jones at the slot, but now it’s basically a free-for-all.
Joejuan Williams has struggled to find a role for himself in his third season, although he did have a very good game against the Jets last weekend. Shaun Wade has been dealing with a concussion, and he probably would be the most logical in-house replacement for Jones if he was healthy. Myles Bryant has been holding down the position in Jones’ absence, but relying on a practice squad player for the rest of the season seems like wishful thinking.
It seems like making a move for a slot corner to replace Jones would be the most logical move to make at the deadline. They could swing for a more under the radar guy, such as Vernon Hargreaves III on the Houston Texans, or a star player such as Kyle Fuller on the Denver Broncos. Either way, this is the biggest need moving forward, and if New England’s secondary doesn’t get going soon, they won’t be in contention for a wild spot much longer.