At 2-5, the New England Patriots aren't off to the start they expected this season. Having said that, they did just secure a huge win over the Buffalo Bills and in that contest, Mac Jones played very well.
That might give them some hope which means they could wind up being buyers at the NFL Trade Deadline as they look to make a run at the playoffs. Then again, they could decide that this season is a lost cause and look to add draft capital in the future.
Whatever they decide, they will have options ahead of the Oct. 31 deadline and here, we look at five moves they can make — two that would be good for adding future picks and three designed at salvaging the 2023 campaign.
Trade Jalen Mills for draft capital
A former seventh-round pick, Jalen Mills spent the first five seasons of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles where he ended up winning a Super Bowl with them in 2017. He later joined the New England Patriots, the same team he helped defeat in that title game.
He hit free agency ahead of the 2023 campaign but wound up re-signing with the Pats on a one-year deal worth $6.1 million. Despite his versatility, Mills plays both cornerback and safety, he has started just one game this season and has only 12 tackles.
New England might not have him in the plans beyond this season and that means they should attempt to find a suitor ahead of the deadline. He might not net much via trade but adding a day-three pick is better than simply letting him walk in 2024.
Trade Deatrich Wise, Jr. to a contender
One thing New England has always done well is know when to move on from a player. Bill Belichick has made a habit of trading veterans away before they start to decline. Sure, they might play well for a season or two, but before long, they decline and someone else is stuck with the bill.
New England then takes the draft picks they added and starts to develop the next guy who will eventually replace a veteran.
Looking at the roster in 2023, the prime candidate for this to happen would be defensive end Deatrich Wise, Jr. The 6-foot-5, 280-pounder has been with the Patriots since 2017 and has appeared in 102 games with 48 starts. He's never been a superstar but he's a capable starter with 255 tackles and 25.5 sacks — 7.5 of which came in 2022.
As good as he's been, Wise will be 30 next season and is entering the final year of a four-year extension he signed in 2021. New England could save a little against the cap and promote Keion White, who they took in the second round of the draft out of Georgia Tech.
There will surely be a contender out there in need of a defensive end that can set the edge the way Wise can. He's also great at keeping fights from breaking out, which is an added bonus for any interested team.
Add G Ezra Cleveland from the Vikings
One thing Bill Belichick's teams are often known for is winning at the line of scrimmage. They've been able to boast some impressive linemen, especially on the offensive side of the ball. In 2023, that hasn't been the case.
New England has had a lot of trouble getting their offense rolling and while players such as Mac Jones deserve some criticism, the offensive line hasn't helped much. They're especially susceptible in the middle of the line where Sidy Sow and Cole Strange come in as PFF's 60th and 65th-ranked guards respectively.
If they truly want to turn things around, they need to find a way to fix this and one option could be to call the Minnesota Vikings about Ezra Cleveland. An offensive tackle while at Boise State, Cleveland moved inside to guard and has been solid as a run blocker while also allowing a very low pressure rate in pass protection.
He's also a name that Brad Spielberger of PFF thinks could be available.
Cleveland is dealing with a foot injury but if it's not serious, he's someone who could be moved, especially with the Vikings paying Dalton Risner who is another starting-caliber guard.
Add WR Jerry Jeduy from the Broncos
For more than a year, the Denver Broncos have been rumored to be shopping Jerry Jeudy but things have taken a turn this season.
Jeudy has come under fire for his play and even had former NFL receiver Steve Smith refer to him as "just a guy." In response to some of the criticism, Jeudy took the worst possible road by practically blaming everyone else for his issues.
“As a receiver, there’s a lot of people you’ve got to depend on,” Jeudy said via Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post. “You can be open, but if the line don’t do their thing or the quarterback don’t do his thing or the (offensive coordinator) don’t put you (in a good spot), it’s a whole lot of stuff that you’ve got to go through as a receiver to be successful. Ya’ll need to go watch the film instead of looking at the stats. Go watch the film and see what it is.”
Jerry Jeudy: “You could be open, but the line don’t do their thing, the quarterback didn’t do the job, the OC don’t put you in a — it’s a whole lot of stuff that we’ve gotta go through as a receiver to be successful. …”
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) October 19, 2023
pic.twitter.com/h9G4nYXFGZ
That could turn a lot of teams off to Jeudy but the Patriots, who are honestly desperate for receiver help, have a history of turning unhappy players into productive ones. Plus, they could actually use Mac Jones in a positive way here.
Jones and Jeudy spent a couple of seasons together in Alabama with Jones leaning on him often in 2019. Perhaps their rapport could help Jeudy reach his potential while also giving Jones someone he already trusts.
Add EDGE Brian Burns from the Panthers
This isn't the first time Brian Burns has had his name floated around as a potential trade piece, and it surely won't be the last. Even with the Carolina Panthers coming out and saying they don't expect to trade him, the rumors continue to fly.
One reason Burns is being floated is the simple fact that Carolina is a mess this season. They're now 0-6 and should be ready to punt on the season. A second reason he could be traded is due to their deal with Chicago during the draft. They wound up with the No. 1 overall pick which was used on Bryce Young, but now they're without a Round 1 selection in 2024.
That's what the expected price is for Burns, who has 42 sacks in his career including 12.5 last season. For the Patriots, his addition would fill a major void with Matt Judon out for the season with a torn biceps.
Having said that, the question would be whether or not they would be willing to part with a first-round pick. Perhaps they would prefer to keep that selection and hope to land a franchise-altering player. Then again, Bill Belichick is 71 so he's not exactly focused on the long-term, which means he might be just as happy to add a premier pass rusher that can help keep their offense in games.
This would surely be a "win-now" move, so the only way it happens is if the Pats feel as though they can turn things around after this slow start.
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