Patriots Rumors: Six Potential Players to Trade Before Final Cuts

The New England Patriots must reduce their roster to 53 players by August 27. Most players on the 90-man roster who fail to make the team will be waived.  However, Eliot Wolf could also make subtractions via trade. If New England can recoup draft compensation for a player they plan to release, it’s a win. That win might come in the form of a seventh-round draft pick but a selection in Round 7 is better than nothing.

A source of much NFL trade speculation, fittingly, is NFLTradeRumors.co. The site posted a “Preseason Trade Block” of players who could get dealt before the start of the regular season. Their list includes six members of the New England Patriots. A breakdown of their options:

Bailey Zappe

Zappe sits fourth on New England’s quarterback depth chart at the moment. It is difficult to imagine that changing, barring injury. It is also difficult to imagine New England keeping all four quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. Bailey Zappe getting claimed off waivers if cut is a reasonable assumption. If nobody claims Zappe, it’s unlikely he’d choose to return to the Patriots practice squad. Getting demoted from starter to fourth string in one offseason indicates a fresh start might be best. If somebody is willing to throw a Day 3 pick (likely Round 7) for Zappe, the Patriots are unlikely to say no.

Also Read – Kelley: Updated New England Patriots 53-Man Roster Projection

Wide Receivers

NFLTR lists three Patriots wide receivers who could be dealt. They use the word “or” between each player, suggesting New England might part with just one of the trio. The receivers listed are Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, and Tyquan Thornton. They wrote:

“Bourne was an acquisition by the previous regime and would have some legitimate trade value even coming off a torn ACL last year. Boutte and Thornton are on rookie contracts and have some potential as a selling point.”

Reports of the New England Patriots trade proposal for Brandon Aiyuk included sending Kendrick Bourne to San Francisco. Bourne remained on the PUP list throughout training camp. His availability for the start of the season remains unknown. Bourne’s reaction to the trade report is unknown as well. Bourne will not be out long-term and he signed a three-year deal this offseason. Any team trading for him would get a player under team control for several seasons.

Boutte and Thornton appear to be fighting for the final wide receiver spot on the 53-man roster. When Bourne becomes available, either to start the season or later, the Patriots need to make room. Neither would retrieve a significant return. But if they hold onto Bourne, perhaps the Patriots could trade one of these two for a player in a similar situation with another team.

Kicker

Chad Ryland and Joey Slye have been battling in training camp for the New England Patriots kicking job. Last year, Ryland battled Nick Folk in camp. The Patriots traded Folk to the Tennessee Titans for a seventh-round pick just before the cutdown to a 53-man roster. If there are NFL teams in need of a kicker, perhaps a similar deal can be made this year for whoever New England decides not to keep.