New England Patriots - NESN.com
The 2025 NFL trade deadline has come and gone.
The New England Patriots made two big moves last week, trading edge rusher Keion White and safety Kyle Dugger to the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively.
New England landed future draft picks in those moves, however and elected not to bring in any new players as they prepare for Week 10.
NFL.com senior news writer Kevin Patra laid out “every team’s biggest need” ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, opining that the Patriots could’ve used a pass rusher.
Furthermore, Patra said that New England could’ve taken its defense to the “next level” if the team had acquired Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
“New England moved on from two reserves, pass rusher Keion White and safety Kyle Dugger, but those trades don’t change the need up front for a Pats crew that has been top-heavy. Outside of K’Lavon Chaisson and Harold Landry, New England isn’t getting much off the edge,” he wrote. “In Week 9, the Pats generated 14 QB pressures — eight came from the combo of Milton Williams, Landry and Chaisson. Adding a rotational piece is a must at this stage. If the Pats really wanted to make a splash, shelling out for an edge like Trey Hendrickson, if he’s healthy, could take Mike Vrabel’s defense to the next level.”
Behind head coach Mike Vrabel, MVP candidate Drake Maye and a historic rush defense, the Patriots enter Week 10’s matchup vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with rising Super Bowl odds.
New England was one of just two NFL teams to receive an A+ midseason grade from The Athletic on Tuesday, but it’s fair to wonder if the Patriots should’ve made improvements to their roster ahead of the second half.
