Could New England use this year’s deadline to fix some roster issues?
The New England Patriots’ 24-3 loss against the New York Jets on Thursday night demonstrated the roster’s deficiencies in multiple areas.
Might they use the NFL trade deadline to improve in those areas?
While the deadline isn’t until November 5, ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote a story Friday identifying potential trade candidates at each position and which teams would be interested in them. Surprisingly, the 1-2 Patriots are heavily represented in the “suitors” category.
Here are three players associated with the Patriots in Graziano’s column:
Diontae Johnson, WR, Carolina Panthers
Graziano: “The offensive skill positions are really thin, and the Patriots were involved in the Brandon Aiyuk conversations when they were happening. If New England’s defense can put things together, it may make sense to make a run for Johnson and contract him long-term.
Johnson was a productive receiver for the Steelers, totaling nearly 4,400 yards over five seasons, including a 1,161-yard performance in 2021. His stats have declined each season since then, and drops remain an issue for the 28-year-old, who caught only 58.6 percent of his targets in 2023. However, with a depleted New England receiver room, he would remain the top option.
E.J. Speed, LB, Indianapolis Colts
Graziano told reporters: “They just put Ja’Whaun Bentley on injured reserve (torn pec), so this makes sense.”
The Patriots do need a replacement for Bentley, and Speed is coming off a career season in which he had 102 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, and three forced fumbles. He’s a free agent after this season, so New England would need to extend him for this to work, especially if Jerod Mayo’s team falls out of playoff contention.
Devin White, LB, Philadelphia Eagles
Graziano listed the Buffalo Bills as White’s top likely landing location, but added that the Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders “also make sense.”
White received Second-Team All-Pro (2020) and Pro Bowl (2021) honors, and he helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl in 2020. He’s making just $4 million this season on a one-year contract, making him an intriguing buy-low possibility, but White would almost definitely prefer to join a more legitimate contender, such as Buffalo, rather than New England.
After Thursday’s outcome, it’s difficult to imagine the Patriots as “buyers” at the trade deadline, but they forecast to have the most salary space in the NFL next season (according to OverTheCap), so they might make a long-term play by acquiring a coveted target and handing them a multi-year extension.
If New England hits rock bottom and decides to sell, Graziano recommends cornerback Jonathan Jones as a player to keep an eye on, noting that “teams were circling” the nine-year veteran this offseason.
The 1-2 Patriots will have the next ten days off before heading to San Francisco to face the 49ers in Week 4.
