Which New England Patriots Will Be Traded Before the Deadline?

The NFL Trade Deadline is Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. ET. Teams began making moves, including the New England Patriots sending Joshua Uche to the Kansas City Chiefs for a sixth-round pick in 2026. Other Patriots players have been mentioned in rumors already. Which players are the most likely to be moved before Tuesday’s deadline?

Eliot Wolf preached doing things the “Packer Way” in New England over the offseason. That consists of drafting, developing, and extending core players. Wolf signed six Patriots to contract extensions since taking over. He also re-signed six Patriots to multi-year deals who could have left in free agency this past offseason.

Based on Wolf’s comments, the players he signed beyond 2024 should all be considered “core players” for New England. Wolf trading away any of those 13 seems unlikely despite two of those Patriots floated in trade rumors last week.

Also Read – Kelley: Eliot Wolf in Enviable Situation With the Patriots

Safe Players on the Patriots Roster

Nobody on the New England Patriots roster should be considered 100% safe from being moved. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye is the lone possible exception here. Eliot Wolf should and will take phone calls on anybody on the roster of his 2-6 squad. If somebody is not part of the team’s plans beyond this season, they should be moved. If players are part of the core for 2025 and beyond, an offer should need to knock Wolf off his feet to make it before the deadline.

The 2024 Patriots draft class is safe. This includes rookie UDFAs Curtis Jacobs and Dell Pettus. Teams that are buyers at the deadline are looking for players to help them win this season. In addition to the rookies falling under Wolf’s “Packers Way” umbrella, it is unlikely any would be an upgrade for a contender.

The 13 players Wolf signed to deals beyond this season should all be safe as well. That group consists of RB Antonio Gibson, RB Rhamondre Stevenson, WR Kendrick Bourne, TE Hunter Henry, OL Mike Onwenu, C David Andrews, DT Christian Barmore, DT Davon Godchaux, LB Anfernee Jennings, LB Jahlani Tavai, S Kyle Dugger, S Jabrill Peppers, and ST Brenden Schooler. Some of these players would be unlikely to be traded anyway, due to availability issues.

Others on the Patriots roster were already under contract before this season. Those who look like they could be core players moving forward will not be dealt. WR Kayshon Boutte, DE Keion White, CB Christian Gonzalez, CB Marcus Jones, and P Bryce Baringer are among those who fit into this category. WR DeMario Douglas likely does as well, despite a disappointing start to his 2024 season from a production standpoint.

Players the Patriots Could Move

After eliminating the rookies, players Wolf locked up for multiple seasons, and potential core players, the players who could be moved get narrowed down considerably. It is worth noting that Eliot Wolf has traded away three New England Patriots since taking the reigns in the front office. The departed Mac Jones, Matthew Judon, and Joshua Uche would have become free agents after this season.

Thus, if one is looking for a potential trade option off New England’s roster, 2025 free agents are the place to start. There are several options here.

CB Jonathan Jones

Jones appears the most likely Patriots veteran to be traded by Tuesday’s deadline. Eliot Wolf signed 12 players from last season’s team to deals beyond this season. The three most noticeable who were not given deals beyond 2024 were Judon (traded), Uche (traded), and Jonathan Jones.

The cornerback is still a productive player. He can play outside or in the slot, and Week 8 he played some safety too. Jones is also an excellent locker room presence. Last season, Jones was New England’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. The two-time Super Bowl champion could be an excellent fit for a contending team like the Green Bay Packers or Washington Commanders.

Wide Receivers

The New England Patriots have one of the least productive wide receiver groups in the NFL. So, on the surface, it seems unlikely a contending team is salivating over adding anyone from this group. However, JuJu Smith-Schuster was waived by the Patriots and is now third in receiving yards among wide receivers on the undefeated Chiefs. Based on the criteria above, it seems Kendrick Bourne, Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, and Kayshon Boutte are safe. This leaves K.J. Osborne and Tyquan Thornton as the most likely options to be moved.

DeMario Douglas is a true wild card in this scenario. He’d have some trade value and looked like a core player heading into the season, but it remains unclear if the New England Patriots view him as such. For the right offer, Douglas is not untouchable by any means.

TE Austin Hooper

Hooper signed with the Patriots in the offseason. His one-year deal allows him to hit the market again in 2025. While Austin Hooper has not been spectacular by any means, he has been very sold for New England in 2024. A contending team in need of tight end depth is likely happy to give up a late pick for Hooper. It would also open up more offensive snaps for rookie tight end Jaheim Bell.

DT Daniel Ekuale

Davon Godchaux’s name surfaced in trade rumors via “The Athletic.” While moving Godchaux is a possibility, Wolf giving him an extension indicates he’d like to keep the defensive tackle as a member of the team’s core. With Christian Barmore out indefinitely, losing the top run-stuffer in the trenches would be a tough loss for New England if they hoped to remain competitive in 20024.

A more likely trade option could be Daniel Ekuale. He missed Week 8 with a reported abdomen injury. Ekuale played in 75% of New England’s defensive snaps over the first seven games. He recorded 23 tackles and one sack. Ekuale proved he’s recovered from the biceps injury that forced him to miss nearly all of 2023. A contending team parting with a late pick for his services could make sense for both sides of the defensive tackle is not in New England’s plans for 2025.

DE Deatrich Wise Jr.

Finally, the Patriots might entertain the thought of trading Wise before the deadline. Like Jonathan Jones, he is a veteran and two-time Super Bowl champion who was not included among Eliot Wolf’s contract extensions. Also like Jones, Wise has played his entire NFL career in New England. Of the six Patriots team captains to start the season, Wise is the lone one to play in all eight games. With David Andrews, Ja’Whaun Bentley, and Jabrill Peppers all missing, losing a team leader is a risky proposition.

However, if the New England Patriots do not plan on retaining Deatrich Wise Jr. beyond this season, trading him is a solid option. He’s a dependable player, a good locker room guy, and adds depth to any team’s defensive front. How many of these options will be sent packing before the NFL Trade Deadline? That remains to be seen, but it appears all of them could be exiting if there is enough interest from another team. Stay tuned.