New England Patriots Rumors: 3 trade candidates before the 2022 season

The New England Patriots have been hard at work over the past month or so preparing for the 2022 season.

One of their last hurdles will be their final preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, which takes place tomorrow night. After that, there will be final roster cuts, with the regular season following shortly thereafter.

The Pats have a fairly competitive roster, which has made for some intriguing competition throughout training camp and preseason play. There isn’t going to be a spot for everyone on the roster, which may lead to some players getting traded before the season starts. Let’s take a look at three trade candidates on New England’s roster who may not make it to the 2022 season with the team.

New England Patriots trade candidate No. 3: Kendrick Bourne

After his breakout 2021 campaign, it would seem treasonous to suggest that Kendrick Bourne could be traded. But Bourne has struggled throughout training camp, and didn’t play with the offensive starters in the second preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, meaning his roster spot could be in jeopardy.

Bourne has gotten lost behind solid camp performances from Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Parker, and Nelson Agholor. He also got ejected from a joint practice against the Panthers, which seems to be the primary reason he did not play during the second preseason game.

Given the solid play from the other wideouts and Bourne’s struggles, it’s fair to to wonder whether there will be a spot in the offense for him. Teams have been calling New England to see if he’s available, and while they may not be in a rush to trade him given Tyquan Thornton‘s collerbone injury, they could be tempted to do so if they get an offer they can’t refuse. Bourne’s status seems secure for now, but there’s a chance he could get dealt before the start of the season.