We could be hours, minutes or even seconds away from finding out if the New England Patriots will be buyers or sellers by the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline on Tuesday.
There’s obviously a greater chance of the team selling considering there is no likely path for them to the playoffs this season. They’ve been ravaged with injuries in arguably the toughest division in football.
The Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets could all be vying for a spot in the playoffs, while the Patriots look on with a pitiful 2-6 record. But don’t sleep on the possibility of them becoming buyers, either.
Coach Bill Belichick isn’t the type to tank an entire season away, and he’ll be looking to rack up as many wins as possible before the curtain closes on 2023.
Here are five realistic trade options for the Patriots by the deadline:
QB Ryan Tannehill
This move won’t excite Patriots fans, but it’s clear the coaching staff doesn’t fully trust Bailey Zappe as the No. 2 option behind Mac Jones. The only reason why he’s even on the roster is because the other options aren’t much better.
Rookie quarterback Malik Cunningham still needs work before he’s ready to take the reins, and Will Grier has been more of a journeyman than savior at the position.
There was a report back in August that the Patriots preferred a veteran quarterback as the top backup for Jones. A former Pro Bowler like Ryan Tannehill would be perfect for that job. Given the way rookie Will Levis looked in Week 8, the Titans could be preparing to move on from Tannehill and start fresh with a young arm.
WR Hunter Renfrow
Some have a sweet tooth for candy, and others, like the Patriots, have a sweet tooth for twitchy, slot receivers that can get in and out of their routes quickly.
There’s a reason why Hunter Renfrow’s name comes up often in relation to the Patriots because he’s typically the kind of receiver the team looks to sign. Granted, there are clearly better options out there, but this one makes sense for New England, given their history.
WR Courtland Sutton
The Broncos are an absolute mess right now.
So it wouldn’t be surprising to see them turn into sellers at the deadline. One of the players they could be looking to unload is former second-round draft pick and Pro Bowl wide receiver Courtland Sutton.
It would be far more intriguing to see the Patriots go after a more explosive option on the outside, even if that means waiting until the offseason. But Sutton would give Mac Jones an athletic, big-bodied target to take shots downfield and help out in the red zone.
RB/WR Cordarrelle Patterson
A blast from the past could be on the table for the Patriots as well with running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson potentially on the trade block for the Atlanta Falcons.
The brunt of the running back duties have gone to rookie first-round draft pick Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. That has limited some of the opportunities for Patterson in the offensive backfield.
The Patriots need playmakers, and few have been better than Patterson at turning negative yards into big plays.
WR Jerry Jeudy
The Patriots were linked to a potential trade for Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in the offseason, but nothing came of that interest. There was a report that Denver wanted either a first-round pick or a second-rounder and a player to move Jeudy before the season.
That price should be less now considering the sluggish start the former first-round draft pick has had with the Broncos.
The thought of the Patriots trading for Jeudy now and potentially adding another playmaking receiver, either through free agency or the 2024 NFL draft, is intriguing. But even Jeudy being paired with Demario Douglas and JuJu Smith-Schuster right now would give the Patriots a far better chance of succeeding than what they currently have on the roster.
