October 29, 2020 | 12:38 PM
The NFL trade deadline falls on Nov. 3rd in 2020, and the surprising question for many Patriots fans will be whether New England is buying or selling.
With Bill Belichick, trades are usually more complicated than a binary narrative. As he has displayed in the past, the Patriots’ coach is perfectly capable of dealing away a high-profile player even as the team is winning, or adding a player in the short term whose full impact won’t be known for a year (such as Kyle Van Noy in 2016).
And while it may be just as likely that the Patriots decide against making any trades before the deadline, here’s a look at some of the possibilities, reports, and rumors:
Buying: Ryan Kerrigan
Oct. 26: One player New England has been connected to as a possible addition is pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan. Peter King mentioned Kerrigan in his weekly column, noting that the Patriots, 49ers, and Seahawks might make a push for a deal.
Kerrigan, King noted, is “due $6.8 million for the last 10 weeks of his contract, averages 9.9 sacks a year in his career, always available (four games missed due to injury in 10 seasons), great team guy. A perfect stretch-run add for a contender.”
Selling: Stephon Gilmore
Oct. 25: After reports that New England tried to deal the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year in the offseason, NFL reporter Albert Breer noted that New England should explore trading Gilmore if the team isn’t going to be competing for a Super Bowl in the 2020 season.
Could the Patriots trade reigning DPOY Stephon Gilmore? @AlbertBreer discusses what he’s heard on Pregame Live. pic.twitter.com/DgAXScyVte
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) October 25, 2020
Buying: John Ross
Oct. 21: Considering the current struggle to consistently develop a passing game, one position the Patriots might look to add a player is at wide receiver.
A name that’s been mentioned is Bengals wide receiver — and 40-yard dash king — John Ross. A 2017 first-round pick, Ross has reportedly asked for a trade away from Cincinnati:
From @gmfb: #Bengals WR John Ross approached the team about a trade recently. The speedster, in the last year of his rookie deal, hasn’t been playing much of late and wants a fresh start if that’s going to continue being the case. pic.twitter.com/0LbfY9ODb4
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 20, 2020
NFL insider Dan Graziano told ESPN’s morning show, “Get Up!” that the Patriots might be among the buyers in the receiver market. Of the players available, Graziano also mentioned Ross.
“The guys that are going to be available, look at guys in the last year of their contracts,” Graziano explained. “Cincinnati’s got a couple guys in A.J. Green and John Ross. Houston’s got a few of them, although they may not be eager to trade away more wide receivers from Deshaun Watson. Watch the wide receiver market as the trade deadline gets close.
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