As much as fans and media alike love to hype up the trade deadline in all sports, expecting Bill Belichick’s Patriots to do much of any significance at Tuesday’s NFL deadline feels unlikely.
Sadly, real-world circumstances dictate deadline deals not fantasy football desires, other than maybe for Sean McVay and Rams.
Could the Patriots use a No. 1 wide receiver or a top-three-caliber cornerback?
Of course.
But getting one of those, or really adding anything of any note just doesn’t seem too likely.
First of all, the Patriots don’t have a ton of cap space to work with in terms of acquiring a higher-end talent that usually brings a higher-end cap number. By most reports New England has less than $3 million of space right now, and things aren’t all that great for next year either. Cap space can always be manipulated as needed, something Belichick has been clear about over the years, but it’s still a consideration and usually comes at a long-term cost.
And while the desire to pump up a roster that just injected life into the second half of the 2021 season with an impressive win in Los Angeles over the Chargers to pull to .500 nearing the midway point is understandable, trades and signings of the recent past probably make another move less likely.
Recall, New England shipped former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore out of town for a measly return mere weeks ago.
Following that up with a deal for a defensive back, likely with a lesser resume and potentially a more costly trade value, is hard to fathom.
Also, New England already traded for a depth piece at cornerback in rookie Shaun Wade, who was added late in the summer. Though he’s dealt with a concussion and yet to appear in an NFL game, he’s part of the overall mosaic of the roster, as Belichick describes it.
Similarly, the Patriots invested near-No. 1 wide receiver money in Nelson Agholor this offseason. Though the return on that investment may not be there at this point, adding another big name or big contract at the spot would an admission of failure and a tough sell in a sense.
Belichick has been as active as anyone in the NFL over the years at the trade deadline. From roster-altering deals like the addition of Aqib Talib to minor moves for special teamers, New England has always taken an aggressive approach.
Maybe a deal that makes sense will come together later today, an offer just too good to turn down. We’ve got a few more hours to remain hopeful of that possibility. But I wouldn’t get your hopes up.
Von Miller going to the Rams is fun.
The possibility of Deshaun Watson getting dealt is intriguing for the entire NFL world, and certainly would shake up the AFC East if he landed in Miami.
Dreaming of the Patriots going after Odell Beckham Jr., Brandin Cooks or even Kyle Fuller makes for enjoyable early November talk radio fodder.
Sadly, though, it’s likely little more than a midseason distraction.
For better or worse, the Patriots roster is what it is. And it’s probably pretty much set at this point, whether we like it or not.
