Three players linked to Patriots as possible trade targets: Report

Three players linked to Patriots as possible trade targets: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The New England Patriots’ 24-3 loss to the New York Jets on Thursday night proved their roster is deficient in several areas.

Might they look to the NFL trade deadline to improve in those areas?

While the deadline isn’t until Nov. 5, ESPN’s Dan Graziano posted a column Friday outlining potential trade candidates at each position, and which teams might be suitors for them. And surprisingly, the 1-2 Patriots are well-represented in the “suitors” category.

Here are three players linked to the Patriots in Graziano’s column:

Diontae Johnson, WR, Carolina Panthers

Graziano: “Exceptionally thin at the offensive skill positions, the Pats were in on the Brandon Aiyuk talks when that was a thing. If New England’s defense can keep things afloat, it could make sense to make a move for Johnson and sign him long-term.”

Johnson was a productive receiver with the Steelers, racking up nearly 4,400 yards over five seasons in Pittsburgh that included a 1,161-yard campaign in 2021. His stats have regressed each season since then, however, and drops are an issue for the 28-year-old, who caught just 58.6 percent of his targets in 2023. He’d still be the No. 1 option in a depleted New England receiver room, however.

E.J. Speed, LB, Indianapolis Colts

Graziano: “They just put Ja’Whaun Bentley on injured reserve (torn pec), so this makes sense.”

The Patriots do need a Bentley replacement, and Speed is coming off a career season in which he racked up 102 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and three forced fumbles. He’s a free agent after this season, though, so New England would need to extend him for this to make sense, especially if Jerod Mayo’s group falls out of playoff contention.

Devin White, LB, Philadelphia Eagles

Graziano listed the Buffalo Bills as his top possible landing spot for White, but noted the Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders “also make sense.”

White has Second-Team All-Pro (2020) and Pro Bowl (2021) honors to his name and helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win a Super Bowl in 2020. He’s making just $4 million this season on a one-year contract, so he’d be an intriguing buy-low candidate, although White almost certainly would prefer a more legitimate contender like Buffalo as opposed to coming to New England.

It’s hard to see the Patriots being “buyers” at the trade deadline after Thursday’s result, but they project to have the most cap space in the NFL next season (per OverTheCap), so they could make a long-term play by acquiring a desired target and handing them a multi-year extension.

If New England bottoms out and becomes a seller, Graziano highlights cornerback Jonathan Jones as a name to watch, noting that “teams were circling” the nine-year veteran this past offseason.

The 1-2 Patriots have the next 10 days off before traveling to San Francisco to face the 49ers in Week 4.