What happens in the Chargers game should give Bill Belichick a better idea about the big picture, and whether there’s ample cause to either make a few deals, or stand pat.
Bill Belichick has never been afraid to make a move at the trade deadline to try and shore up his team. The question is whether or not Bill Belichick feels there’s a good enough reason to strike now, with the deadline at 4 p.m. Tuesday. If he believes this team is capable of going on a run toward the postseason, he might try and fortify some of his trouble spots. In some respects, he’s already started, adding two veteran cornerbacks ( Brian Poole, De’Vante Bausby) to the practice squad Wednesday, while signing a linebacker ( Calvin Munson) off Miami’s practice squad. But practice squad-caliber players are essentially Band-Aids. And that’s fine for a 3-4 team. Sunday’s game with the Chargers should give him a better idea about the big picture, and whether there’s ample cause to either make a few deals, or stand pat. If the Patriots get blown out, there’s no need to make a splash. It would be crazy to surrender a high draft pick for a rental. (See Mohamed Sanu and that blown second-round pick for details). Conversely, if they have a good showing, and perhaps even beat the Chargers, Belichick might kick the tires on some players who are above practice-squad caliber. If he can land a decent player relatively cheaply or at a reasonable cost, there might be some action before Tuesday. Right now, however, the Patriots don’t have much to work with when it comes to cap space. Resident cap guru Miguel Benzan @patscap has them at $2.9 million in available space, as of Friday. It’s possible Belichick will deal N’Keal Harry or even Chase Winovich to gain a little more flexibility. With Winovich on IR with a hamstring injury, that may be tough, but Harry might fetch a late-round draft pick. According to Benzan, if the Patriots deal Harry, they would save $785,017 in 2021 and $1.872 million in 2022. For Winovich, it would be roughly $472,000 in 2021 and $965,000 in 2022. Either way, the Pats don’t have a ton to spend, although that can certainly be rectified in a variety of ways if Belichick decides a move or two is in order. What areas of need might the Patriots target in a trade if they look to add depth? Here’s a few: Cornerback The Patriots are thin at cornerback. That was the case even before Jonathan Jones went down to a season-ending injury. Obviously, trading Stephon Gilmore to the Panthers after the two sides couldn’t reach an accord with his contract hasn’t helped the cause. Without Gilmore, that’s left J.C. Jackson as the top corner, and Jalen Mills as the No.2. Mills is a gamer, and can play multiple positions in the secondary, but he’s clearly miscast in the role. Mills is more of a Patrick Chung -like safety who is better playing closer to the box. Joejuan Williams, who could be on the trading block himself, hasn’t helped, while Myles Bryant has taken on Jones’ role in the slot. The Patriots added Poole, primarily a slot defender, and Bausby, more of a boundary corner, to the practice squad in case of emergency. Speaking with NBC analyst and Patriots Hall of Famer Rodney Harrison, he felt the team really needed to add a cornerback.
