FOXBORO, Mass. — It’s clear now the New England Patriots got the best of the Detroit Lions when they traded next to nothing for linebacker Kyle Van Noy.
The Patriots shipped a sixth-round draft pick to the Lions for Van Noy and a seventh-round selection prior to the 2016 trade deadline. The deal results in New England moving down 20 or 30 picks at the end of the 2017 draft. In return, the team received Van Noy, who already has made the trade worthwhile with a sack, interception and nine tackles in three games, all of which he started.
After two healthy scratches following the trade, Van Noy steadily has increased his playing time. He was on the field for 46 percent of snaps in his Patriots debut, 49.1 percent in Week 12 and 78.4 percent in Week 13. In just three games, Van Noy has gone from being a pass-defense specialist to a nearly every-down player. This wasn’t expected at the trade deadline given how little the Patriots gave up for the linebacker and based on his role with the Lions as an early down run-stopper.
It’s a bit of a crapshoot when a player is acquired midseason, but Van Noy impressed New England right away.
“I think he started off well right away. He came in and learned things and picked things up,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday. “With a player like Kyle, part of it is just getting to know him, getting to work with him, getting to know what things he does well, things he picks up on quickly, things that are instinctive to him and maybe things that he hasn’t done before. Particularly with a player like Kyle who played primarily at the end of the line at college and played off of the line at Detroit, didn’t rush very much at Detroit, and then we saw him in a little bit of a different role here.”
Van Noy has been strong as a pass rusher and in coverage. He has 10 pressures in just 24 pass-rush snaps, and he’s allowed three catches on six targets for 28 yards with an interception for a miniscule 23.6 passer rating against.
Van Noy initially took on the role Jamie Collins was moved into before being traded to the Cleveland Browns at the trade deadline, but now he’s serving in Collins’ previous capacity as a nearly every-down player. It’s likely Van Noy and Shea McClellin will split snaps at linebacker moving forward, with Van Noy playing on passing downs, McClellin being used as a run-stopping specialist and Dont’a Hightower playing nearly every down.
Van Noy walks around the Patriots’ locker room with a smile on his face as if he’s been moved from Siberia to The Happiest Place on Earth.
“Wouldn’t you have fun if you didn’t play that much and then start playing? Yeah,” Van Noy said Wednesday.
Click to read about Van Noy’s “cerebral” approach to game >>
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
