Could New England be active again ahead of the NFL trade deadline?
The New England Patriots listening to calls with less than a week to go until the NFL trade deadline should not come as a surprise. Not only are they 2-6 and virtually eliminated from playoff contention already, they also are in Year 1 of their post-Bill Belichick rebuild; building a stronger roster for the future is the goal, and adding more developmental potential key.
One part of that process was parting ways with outside linebacker Joshua Uche. The former second-round draft pick was dealt to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday in return for a 2026 sixth-round draft selection.
Will Uche remain the only move made by the team? Or could others follow him on his way out of town? We will know no later than 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
If New England wants to sell off further assets, though, here are a few players they could have in mind.
Obvious trade candidates
WR K.J. Osborn: With the first eight games of the season in the books, Osborn is on track to his least productive season since his 2020 rookie campaign. So far, he has caught just seven passes for 57 yards and a touchdown while finding himself buried on New England’s wide receiver depth chart. Despite the team lacking star power higher up, Osborn has not managed to regularly crack the lineup. As a consequence, New England might be willing to part ways with him if a receiver-needy team comes calling.
WR Tyquan Thornton: A starter to begin the season, Thornton quickly slid down the depth chart and has caught just four passes for 47 yards so far. Now in Year 3, it is becoming increasingly obvious that his days in New England are numbered. So, why would any team be willing to trade for him? His status as a former second-round draft pick and some rare traits might prompt some clubs to take a flier, even though much more than a Day 3 pick swap will likely not be in the cards either.
Under-the-radar trade candidates
CB Jonathan Jones: Jones is one of the Patriots’ most experienced players and a well-respected member of the locker room. However, he also has not had the expected impact so far this season: instead of being an every-down starter at outside cornerback alongside Christian Gonzalez, he has been on the field for less than two thirds of defensive snaps. He still ranks No. 2 in that category among his position group, but some solid recent performances by Marcus Jones and Marco Wilson might prompt New England to look into what would be an unexpected but not fully surprising move.
OL Sidy Sow: For as bad as the Patriots offensive line performed at times in 2023, Sidy Sow was one of the more positive stories. In his role as the starting right guard, the then-rookie helped bring some stability to the group and finished with 12 straight starts. His sophomore year, however, has been a major disappointment: after moving to left tackle, he suffered an ankle injury that kept him out early on in the regular season; he started one game after his return and quickly found himself behind Michael Onwenu, Michael Jordan and even rookie Layden Robinson at guard. A change of environment might make sense.
DE Deatrich Wise Jr.: The only one of the Patriots’ original six team captains not to miss a game this season, Wise Jr. is as popular a player as any in the locker room. His leadership has been critical in what has been a challenging season so far, but it cannot erase the fact that his role continues to decrease: after playing 73.4 percent of snaps in 2022, he dropped to 54 in 2023 and now finds himself at 48.5 eight games into 2024. He does provide valuable depth along the defensive line, but his smaller role and the fact that he is in the final year of his contract make him an under-the-radar trade candidate.
Long-shot trade candidates
WR Kendrick Bourne: Kendrick Bourne very well could find himself in the first category above, but the Patriots really moving on from him seems unlikely for three main reasons. 1.) His role keeps growing ever since his return from the PUP list; 2.) He is a seasoned and respected leader in a room very much in need of one; 3.) Teams meeting New England’s reportedly high demands for his services does not appear likely. That does not mean the 29-year-old won’t be traded when all is said and done, but the Patriots are high on him and want to be properly compensated. That is why he is categorized a long-shot for the purpose of this exercise.
DT Davon Godchaux: Godchaux is in a similar boat as Kendrick Bourne. He is one of the few tradable assets the team possesses other clubs might actively be after. Would the Patriots be willing to move him, though? At the right price, yes, but it seems he is more valuable to New England than any realistic draft pick coming in. He is the team’s best run-defending defensive lineman by far, after all, and removing him from the equation would create a massive hole both literally and figuratively — one not easily filled next offseason.
As can be seen, the Patriots do have some players worth making available if they want to sell off further assets. And while none of them would likely yield anything more than an early Day 3 pick or comparable player, no move can be ruled out either for a team in the current stage of its development.