This is the trade post you’ve all been waiting for this season. We’ve spent weeks doing mental gymnastics in an effort to figure out what sensible moves the New England Patriots should make before the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline.
Well, we’re throwing all of that out the window today.
Like Aaron Judge (I’m sorry for this example), we’re crowding the plate and swinging for the fences in this trade conversation. Every nook and cranny of logical trade posts have been picked to the bone at this point.
So the time has finally come to get a little illogical with three fantasy trades that should happen but probably won’t for the Patriots
Josh McDaniels
The Las Vegas Raiders got a new stadium, the best receiver in football, an All-Pro defensive playmaker and a hot-shot offensive-minded coach that came off the Bill Belichick coaching tree. And what has that gotten the Raiders?
A 2-5 record and last place in the AFC West division.
The Josh McDaniels experiment in Las Vegas has been a complete flop for both sides. Las Vegas looks worse than they did when Rich Bisaccia was overseeing things, and the Patriots offense hasn’t been the same since McDaniels left.
Seriously, Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has moonwalked faster than the late, great Michael Jackson without McDaniels in his ear. Both sides should come to their senses and get a deal done to send the former Patriots offensive coordinator back to where he belongs.
And then he can wait his turn to be the successor of the team when Belichick finally decides to hang up the sleeveless hoodie and ride off into the sunset.
DeVonta Smith
DeVonta Smith was the best player in the country when he was catching passes from Jones at the University of Alabama. If Tua Tagovailoa gets to throw passes to Jaylen Waddle and Joe Burrow is throwing to Ja’Marr Chase, then Jones should be heaving up touchdown passes to Smith.
No, Smith didn’t have the flashy rookie season we’re growing accustomed to seeing from so many young players these days. But he’s clearly figuring it out this season with 38 receptions for 420 yards and two touchdowns.
Granted, the unbeaten Eagles would be foolish to turn into sellers at this point. They’ll likely hold on tighter than Rose Bukater in “Titanic.” But if there’s even a sliver of an opportunity to reunite Jones and Smith together, the Patriots should pounce on it.
Tom Brady
This is the feel-good move we’ve all been waiting for right here.
Look, I’m not saying Tom Brady could suddenly step into the offense, wave a magic wand and morph the Patriots back into Super Bowl contenders. It would essentially be like starting over with brand new receivers and Matt Patricia handling the offensive play-calling.
But man, it would make for one hell of a story—wouldn’t it? Just seeing Brady return to New England and finishing his career with the Patriots would provide the right kind of closure for the greatest dynasty in sports history.
And while the likelihood of the team contending appears far-fetched, you’d have to be crazy to count out the combined brain might of the greatest coach and quarterback of all time.
