NFL Insider Floats Intriguing Trade Deadline Target For Patriots

The Patriots didn't avoid the injury bug that plagued other teams in the first three weeks of the NFL season, and executive Eliot Wolf must decide when it's time to add more talent to the team.

New England fell to rock bottom in its loss to the New York Jets on "Thursday Night Football." The way Jerod Mayo's side played was what many expected before the season, but it still left a lot to be desired.

Losing a lot of games might not feel great this season, but it could be beneficial for the franchise in the long term. It's why Wolf and his staff probably won't be too eager to depart with valuable assets for short-term gain. But there might be ways to get high-upside talent at a potentially low cost.

ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano on Friday took a look at potential names who might be on the market before the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 5. He floated the Patriots as a potential landing spot for Indianapolis Colts linebacker E.J. Speed.

"His emergence was one of the reasons Indy felt good about moving on from Shaquille Leonard in the middle of last season, but Speed is 29 and set to be a free agent at the end of the season," Graziano wrote. "Should the Colts tumble out of contention, he's a name to watch. Speed already has 22 tackles this season, and he hit triple-digits in 2023."

On his fit with New England, Graziano added: "They just put Ja'Whaun Bentley on injured reserve (torn pec), so this makes sense. The Bills and Raiders are other possibilities."

Bentley's loss was deeply felt Thursday. Mayo still lamented his team's inability to tackle and finish plays, and Speed could be the hard-hitting linebacker the defense needs. The Patriots are slightly familiar with the 2019 fifth-round pick when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone when the Colts played the Patriots in the 2021 season. His ability to play special teams also could be an asset for the coaching staff.

All of this would depend on what the Colts would want in return. It's too early to call the season in Week 3, so New England could try to be active to try to rebound from a horrific loss in front of a national audience.