The Patriots are a weird team to assess ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.
Nobody will confuse New England for a Super Bowl contender, at least not yet. At 3-4 and mired in a bizarre, concerning quarterback controversy, the AFC East's last-place team would own the 13th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft if the season ended today. The Patriots are the definition of a middling team without a clear sense of direction.
And yet New England really doesn't project as a franchise either capable or in need of adding much before the deadline. Unlike the last few years, the Patriots have youth and high-end talent at crucial positions, such as receiver and cornerback. In fact, the Patriots reportedly are looking to move a wideout, rather than trade for one.
They also have a lot of money invested in positions such as tight end and defensive line, making moves at those spots unlikely. New England is so deep at running back that it just might unload one of the better backs it's had during the Bill Belichick era.
Still, make no mistake: The Patriots have work to do before 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Although their buyer/seller status could be determined by Sunday's road game against the New York Jets, the Patriots are capable of making a playoff run provided they make a few important roster tweaks.
With all that said, here are New England's top needs ahead of the NFL trade deadline:
Linebacker
The Patriots stubbornly refused to add a linebacker in either the draft or free agency, and now they're paying for it. All New England did is trade for athletic Mack Wilson, who occasionally pops but otherwise gets lost in the passing game and moved around in the running game. Ja'Whaun Bentley is fine and Jahlani Tavai's versatility has proven to be useful, but neither player is good enough against above-average NFL offenses. Raekwon McMillan isn't a difference-maker.
That the Patriots recently brought back Jamie Collins for a fourth tour of duty really tells you all you need to know. New England's linebacking corps isn't stout enough against the run (the Patriots' run defense ranks 28th in Football Outsidres' DVOA) , nor is it athletic enough to keep up with explosive NFL passing attacks. Ask yourself this: If the Patriots defense looked that bad against Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears, how do you think they'll do against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills?
Top players rumored to be available: Roquan Smith, Shaq Thompson
Edge rusher
You could lump this into the "linebacker" category, but we'd argue it deserves its own section.
While myriad issues doomed New England at the end of last season, at the top of the list is the second-half collapse of Matthew Judon. One of the NFL's top pass-rushers during the first half of the season, Judon ran out of gas in the second half and largely became a non-factor. Basically, opposing offenses decided to double-team defensive tackle Christian Barmore and give extra attention to Judon, thus daring the Patriots to find pass-rushing help from someone else. They weren't able to do it.
The trend has continued in 2022, but Judon so far has overcome it and Deatrich Wise is having a career-season through seven weeks. Third-year pro Anfernee Jennings also has emerged as a solid edge option opposite Judon. Overall, the Patriots currently rank fifth in team sack percentage.
But is any of that sustainable, especially with Barmore currently dealing with a knee injury? Probably not. It's well-past time for New England to add more talent to its pass rush.
Top players rumored to be available: Bradley Chubb, Brian Burns, Jerry Hughes
Offensive tackle
Unfortunatley, there might not be much available for the Patriots unless they swing big. Other teams reportedly have been calling New England about embattled tackle Isiah Wynn, which goes to show the depth of offensive tackle help available on the trade market. Bill Belichick probably should've drafted a tackle or signed someone in free agency, but here we are.
Wynn's brutal struggles have been an issue since Week 1. The fifth-year pro's move from left to right tackle hasn't gone well, as the 2018 first-round pick leads the NFL in penalties (eight) and seemingly gives up multiple quarterback pressures each week. It's incredibly hard to envision Wynn returning to New England during the offseason, so the Patriots likely will make a move at right tackle in the semi-near future. Why not do it now?
Protecting Mac Jones -- or Bailey Zappe, if you want to go there -- should be priority No. 1 in New England, particularly with Jones still nursing an ankle injury. The Patriots must get Wynn straightened out for find a better option.
Top players rumored to be available: Laremy Tunsil, Michael Schofield
Defensive tackle
When fully healthy, New England probably is good enough, if not better, on its D-line. The problem is that the Patriots have been dealing with injuries up front and aren't talented enough to overcome it.
Lawrence Guy has missed three games due to a shoulder injury, and, at 32 years old, probably can't handle a huge workload anymore. Barmore is about to miss his second straight game due to a knee issue, and it feels like New England is playing with fire with its current usage of Wise. The 28-year-old saw 79% of defensive snaps the first seven games of this season after never seeing more than 56% in his first five campaigns.
Again, the Patriots have a lot of money tied up in Wise and, especially, nose tackle Davon Godchaux. Guy also is due $4 million over the next two seasons. As such, Belichick might not be able to add an expensive tackle before the offseason arrives.
However, the Patriots can't continue getting dominated up front like they did against Chicago. Their defense isn't good enough on the second and third levels to withstand shoddy D-line play.
Top players rumored to be available: Matt Ioannidis, Daron Payne
