The Patriots could not escape the injury bug that afflicted other teams in the first three weeks of the NFL season, and executive Eliot Wolf must decide when it is appropriate to add more talent to the roster.
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New England’s loss against the New York Jets on “Thursday Night Football” brought the team to their lowest point. The way Jerod Mayo’s team performed was what many expected going into the season, but it still left a lot to be desired.
Losing a bunch of games this season may not feel great, but it could benefit the club in the long run. This is why Wolf and his team are unlikely to be keen to deal with important assets for short-term gain. However, there may be opportunities to get high-potential individuals at a reasonable cost.
ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano took a look at probable names who could be available before the NFL trade deadline on November 5. He mentioned the Patriots as a probable destination for Indianapolis Colts linebacker E.J. Speed.
“His emergence was one of the reasons Indy felt good about moving on from Shaquille Leonard in the middle of last season, but Speed is 29 and set to be a free agent at the end of the season,” according to Graziano. “If the Colts fall out of contention, he’s a name to remember. Speed already has 22 tackles this season, and he expects to reach triple digits in 2023.
Graziano commented on his fit with New England, saying, “They just put Ja’Whaun Bentley on injured reserve (torn pec), so this makes sense.” Other teams to consider are the Bills and Raiders.
Bentley’s passing was keenly mourned Thursday. Mayo decried his team’s failure to tackle and finish plays, but Speed might be the hard-hitting linebacker the defense requires. The Patriots are somewhat familiar with the 2019 fifth-round pick, who recovered a blocked punt in the end zone when the Colts played the Patriots in 2021. His ability to play special teams could also be beneficial to the coaching staff.
All of this would be contingent on what the Colts wanted in exchange. It’s too early to call the season in Week 3, but New England could aim to stay active in order to recoup from a devastating setback in front of a national audience.
