The New England Patriots have received calls from NFL teams on several of their players, per Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed.
We’ve been hearing about interest in Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor for weeks. There have also been some rumblings about Jabril Peppers and speculation on Damien Harris‘ availability.
However, DeVante Parker and Jakobi Meyers’ names are new to the list of players who might be involved in trade discussions.
Dealing Harris and Peppers Makes the Most Sense
Harris’ potential availability in a trade is based on his contract status and the emergence of second-year running back Rhamondre Stevenson. Harris is in the final year of his deal, and Stevenson has become the team’s featured back.
New England also drafted two running backs, Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris. They also still have veteran hybrid player Ty Montgomery, who is out with an injury, and veteran scat back J.J. Taylor. Based on that, it would appear the team could absorb a trade that sent Harris elsewhere. If they could get a fourth or fifth-round selection for Harris, the Patriots would be wise to make the deal.
Peppers is a depth option at another position of strength for the Patriots. He doesn’t figure to fetch anything above a fifth-round pick, which might even be pushing it, so Bill Belichick will have to decide if a deal is worth his team’s efforts.
The Patriots’ Wide Receiver Situation is Delicate
New England might need to proceed with caution regarding a potential trade of one or more of their wide receivers. As it is, Bourne has found it difficult to get on the field for snaps. His playing time is way down compared to last season when he had 55 receptions for 800 yards and 5 TDs.
A deal that sent him to a receiver-hungry squad would appear to net the Patriots the most in return. If they can get a third-round pick for Bourne, who won’t be a free agent until 2024 and who is on a favorable three-year, $15 million deal, it would be a solid return for New England.
Agholor could be a tougher sell for the Patriots. He’s been disappointing this year after having a weak season in 2021. His contract is heftier than Bourne’s, though he’s in the final year of his two-year, $22 million pact. There’s probably a team that feels they can get more out of Agholor, but at what cost? This feels like a fifth-round pick at best.
Rookie Tyquan Thornton seemingly makes both either Agholor or Bourne expendable, but dealing both should make Patriots fans nervous. They would be one WR injury from being n dire straits at the position and being forced to turn to guys like Tre Nixon or Lil’ Jordan Humphrey to play bigger roles.
Meyers and Parker have established themselves as the top weapons in New England’s passing game. Because of that, it would be a shock to see either player trade. Meyers is a free agent at the end of the season, and there is a good chance he will collect on a nice-sized contract. Will that deal be out of the Patriots’ frugal wheelhouse?
Perhaps, if that’s the case, they may elect to swing what would be a massively disappointing deal for the fanbase–and the team’s quarterbacks.
New England just dealt draft capital to acquire Parker during the offseason. Trading him away would make even less sense, but the Patriots’ handling of their quarterback situation over the past two weeks has been pretty puzzling.
So in Belichick’s favorite words, “we’ll see how it goes.”
