FOXBORO – With a loss in Miami, the Patriots dropped to a dreadful 2-6 on the season Sunday. Forget the road to the race or the road to glory; It’s pretty much over for the 2023 New England Patriots.
It’s been a long, long, long, long time since we’ve had a season like this in New England. But barring the rest of the undefeated run, the Patriots will be ready before Halloween.
One benefit of that, if you can really call it a “benefit,” is that the Pats will have a chance to make some roster moves at the trade deadline Tuesday afternoon. As much as the demands are, it’s hard to imagine Bill Belichick being the governor on Halloween before 4 p.m.
can Side questions about it As much as he wants, but it would be better for Belichick to trade some pieces at the deadline. If Belichick really does do what’s best for his football club, he’s set his sights on the future and needs some more picks to build around — because this year’s Patriots aren’t building anything.
Here are a few players who could be out of New England on Tuesday afternoon.
Josh Uche
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Uche, a free agent after this season, missed the trip to Miami over the weekend with knee and toe issues. Or…the Patriots trading the 25-year-old for the future?
During his four seasons in New England, we saw Uche’s talent shine through. He had 11.5 sacks last season, and he has a skill set that teams will need to increase on Tuesday. It’s that skill that commands a lot of money on the open market.
If the Patriots don’t plan to extend Uche this offseason, keeping him Tuesday doesn’t make much sense.
Kyle Dugger
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Like Uche, Dugger is in the final year of his contract. But the safety has been playing a key role in New England’s secondary this season and had several huge plays in Sunday’s loss to Miami, including an interception, a sack and another touchdown.
Belichick has expressed his desire to keep the former second-round pick and the Patriots don’t have anyone else to fill his shoes. It is a very important part for veterans.
But moving Duggar is something the team should consider if someone blows them away with a gift on Tuesday.
Hunter Henry
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Henry has been a big target for McJones for the past 3 years and was named captain for the first time before the season as a team leader. But he’ll be a free agent after the season, and tight end-needy teams like the Cowboys, Buccaneers and Bengals could come calling.
And it’s still his first year with the Patriots Mike GesickiThe name may be released before the deadline.
Ezekiel Elliott.
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A 2-6 record probably wasn’t what Zeke expected when he signed with the Patriots over the summer. He’s averaging just 3.9 yards per carry, but in his eighth NFL season he’s shown he has something left in the tank.
A contender in need of some running back depth may be interested in adding a late pick or two to the minimum 28-year-old.
Trent Brown
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Teams in need of a left tackle would probably love to add Trent Brown to their lineup before the deadline. His value is probably a little low due to his injury history and some iffy play in Miami on Sunday, but he’s still one of the best tackles in the business and probably won’t cost a team too much to get him at the deadline.
Mike Onwenu
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Onwenu is a pending free agent, but he’s the type of guy you want your team to build — a versatile, young lineman. What could make the Patriots a nice bonus for Onwenu on the trade market, though, is his versatility, and teams looking for help on the offensive line should call the Patriots about his availability.
Mc Jones
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Probably not. But the Patriots have a decision to make on Jones this offseason, as they must pick up his fifth-year option or let him go by the wayside. One way to avoid making this decision is to avoid it.
And suddenly, the Minnesota Vikings need a new quarterback after Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles on Sunday. The Vikings are 4-4 and still in the mix for a wild card spot in the NFC. Cousins is also set to become a free agent after the season, so Minnesota could be looking at a QB of the future in Jones.
It’s unlikely the Patriots will get much for Jones at this point, but they may be able to get a few picks in the middle rounds. Then, of course, the question is who will play quarterback for New England the rest of the season. But hey, we need it Something Let’s have fun every Sunday.