The Patriots made their first trade deadline move on Monday, sending edge rusher Josh Uche to the Chiefs for a sixth-round pick, and New England may have more moves in store as November 5 approaches.
The Patriots are “fielding calls on corners and receivers,” per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, with Tyquan Thornton and K.J. Osborn as the wideouts of interest.
New England has already been shopping Thornton for a few weeks, and Osborn may be frustrated after his playing time dropped in recent weeks. He is the more proven receiver after recording at least 500 receiving yards in each of the last three seasons for the Vikings, but he’s only averaging 27.3 yards per game this year as part of a struggling Patriots offense with turnover across the offensive line and under center. Osborn would also be an affordable acquisition for nearly any team; he is owed just over $1MM in salary and per game roster bonuses across the rest of the season.
Thornton also has just over $1MM of salary remaining this season, and he is under contract for 2.24MM in 2025, though that is not guaranteed. He has just four catches for 47 yards this season, but his speed is undeniable after a 4.28-second 40 yard dash at the Combine in 2022. He could be an affordable, speedy addition to a team that believes they can still get the best out of the 24-year-old.
New England is not interested in trading veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones, according to Breer, despite the fact that the 31-year-old Jones is a pending free agent who does not fit in the team’s long-term roster plans. Jones is set to earn $5M for the rest of 2024, making him a pricier acquisition for a team in need of secondary help. If the Patriots aren’t looking to trade him, Jones is unlikely to leave New England this season unless he requests a trade.
Instead of selling players, the Patriots could be buyers at the deadline despite their 2-6 record. After their Week 8 victory over the Jets, New England is “monitoring the trade market to potentially add talent,” per veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson.
The Patriots are specifically looking to upgrade at wide receiver, defensive tackle, and offensive tackle. Several offensive and defensive linemen are on injured reserve, forcing the Patriots to cycle multiple units in the trenches on both sides of the ball this year. However, sacrificing significant draft compensation for short-term upgrades in a losing season would be a surprise for a Patriots regime that seems committed to rebuilding under head coach Jerod Mayo and first-round quarterback Drake Maye.