The New England Patriots are looking to be a better team this season. They revamped their whole coaching staff, starting with hiring Mike Vrabel to be the new head coach. Additionally, the Patriots had a pretty good draft, and their offseason saw them have some success.
However, it is yet to be seen how good New England will be. There are things quarterback Drake Maye has to clean up, and Stefon Diggs may not be the same wide receiver he was in the past. Along with that, the Patriots play in a tough division. They will have to play the Buffalo Bills twice a year, the Miami Dolphins are sneakily a good team, and the New York Jets are looking to be much better in 2025. Still, the Patriots have a chance to truly compete.
With competitiveness could come some struggles for the team. If the Patriots happen to struggle, or if they see that a certain player might not be working out for them, there is a chance for some trades. Below is one player the Patriots could trade heading into training camp.
Abundance of cornerbacks and running backs
The Patriots have quite a few good running backs and cornerbacks. On the offensive side, it helps to have two or three solid running backs. This becomes especially true when thinking about injuries, and everything that can happen over the course of a season.
As it stands right now, the running back room consists of Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson, and second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson. There are other running backs, as well, but these three are the most significant. With three solid running backs, there is going to be one that does not get as much playing time as they maybe should. With that in mind, New England could be smart to trade one of them for a draft pick or two.
On the defensive side of the ball, the cornerback room is also crowded. They have Christian Gonzales, Carlton Davis III, Marcus Jones, Isaiah Bolden, and Alex Austin. All of these players are solid corners, but Gonzales and Davis will be the starters. Keeping that in mind, teams are always in need of help in the secondary. New England has the depth if they want to trade one of those players for some draft capital, or even another player.
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There are options for the Patriots to consider if they decide to make trade. However, they should keep in mind contract status, and whether or not they would re-sign the player.
Which player is a trade candidate for the Patriots?
Choosing someone to trade is never an easy choice. However, the choice seems pretty easy for New England. That is because they should trade one of their three running backs. Specifically, Antonio Gibson is a great trade candidate.
Gibson is a free agent in 2027, so there are still a few years left on his contract. However, the Patriots have Stevenson locked up longer than that, and Henderson is just a rookie. Having three running backs of that caliber is not needed. It is nice to have, but the Patriots could get by with just two of them.
Last season, Gibson ran for 538 yards on just 120 carries. He averaged plenty of yards per carry, and found the endzone once. Along with that, Gibson is a solid receiving back that would be an asset to any team.
Per PFF, Gibson had a rushing grade of 75.5, a receiving grade of 65.6, and a total grade of 72.6. He had a great season, despite only starting three games. The reason the Patriots would be smart to trade him is they have the depth, and Gibson's contract is up first.
New England has a lot of confidence in their team right now, but Gibson would make a great trade candidate.
