The New England Patriots narrowly beat the Atlanta Falcons 24-23 on Sunday. The Patriots were in control most of the first half before a late fumble by quarterback Drake Maye, leading to Atlanta making a late push to win, with Falcons wideout Drake London bringing in his third touchdown of the day. Fortunately for the Patriots, Falcons kicker Parker Romo missed the ensuing extra-point attempt, leading to the team's seventh win of the year..
While the Patriots are celebrating another victory, Sunday wasn't without some bad news. Wide receiver Kayshon Boutte left the game with a hamstring injury and didn't return (h/t @DougKyed) . In his absence, DeMario Douglas had his best game of the season with four receptions for 100 yards and one touchdown. Even though Douglas had a good game, the Patriots should consider calling the New Orleans Saints and inquiring about one of their receivers before Tuesday's trade deadline.
Patriots Must Trade for Saints WR Rashid Shaheed
With the injury to Boutte, the Patriots should call the New Orleans Saints and ask about receiver Rashid Shaheed. Shaheed has had a good 2025 campaign so far with 39 catches for 431 yards and two touchdowns before Week 9, proving that he could be exactly what Maye needs. The biggest strength of Shaheed is his speed and deep threat ability, as well as the fact that he can also contribute on special teams if need be.
Due to hamstring injuries and the chance of lingering and reinjury, the Patriots need to add another experienced receiver, and they're running out of time. If Boutte were to miss extended time, the Patriots would be down to only five receivers, with two of them being rookies, neither of whom has made a serious impact this season. Once Boutte left the game today, the Patriots' offense began to struggle, so adding another playmaker like Shaheed is imperative if the front office wants to capitalize on the strong start to the season.
New England won't have much time to make trades with the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday. Looking ahead at the Patriots' Week 10 opponent, New England will look to extend the team's six-game winning streak when they play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road, and having another deep threat would help give head coach Mike Vrabel & Co. a true shot at winning.
With Shaheed being one of the most talked-about trade candidates this year, the Patriots must call the Saints immediately, potentially even before Sunday is over.