The New England Patriots got a head start on the NFL trade deadline, sending edge rusher Joshua Uche to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday. But Eliot Wolf and company reportedly are looking for more deals, and the 2-6 Patriots look like clear sellers despite last Sunday’s dramatic win over the New York Jets.
New England Patriots Players Who Could Be Traded Ahead of the Trade Deadline
“Patriots have told teams they are open for business,” Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi reported after the Uche trade. “League sources expect them to peel off another vet or two before the Nov. 5 deadline.”
With that in mind, let’s look at five Patriots who could be traded over the next week.
WR Kendrick Bourne
Since joining the Patriots in 2021, Kendrick Bourne has repeatedly been named in trade rumors. He was floated in Brandon Aiyuk rumors during training camp and again has been connected to the San Francisco 49ers (his former team) ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline.
“I’ve been told to keep an eye on the Patriots — who will listen to any proposal — with run-stuffing interior defensive lineman Davon Godchaux and ex-Niners wide receiver Kendrick Bourne among the possible targets,” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini wrote last week.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport also wrote about Bourne over the weekend.
“While Kendrick Bourne is the receiver who has garnered most of the trade rumors, it would take a large deal to pry him from New England,” Rapoport wrote.
Bourne has long insisted he wants to stay with the Patriots and sang a similar tune last week when asked about trade rumors.
“This is where I want to be,” Bourne told Doug Kyed of The Boston Herald. ” … I want to, because when it starts popping, it’s going to be popping, and so I want to be a part of it.
” … My calling is to be here and help these guys here in this organization here. And I really, like, genuinely saying that. I really mean that. And so I’m excited where we’re at. It’s tough right now. It’s supposed to be tough.”
Ultimately, the Patriots will need to decide whether Bourne is worth more on the roster or as a trade piece.
The veteran receiver missed the first four games of this season after suffering a torn ACL last October. He’s posted just four catches for 29 yards in four games since returning from his injury and struggled mightily in the win over New York.
“Man, personally, I just got to play better. I hated that game, I just played so bad.”
Kendrick Bourne felt he played poorly in the Patriots win over the Jets, and acknowledged the receivers can play better after the group combined for at least four drops. pic.twitter.com/2nCYKTnQXL
— Sean T. McGuire (@BySeanMcGuire) October 28, 2024
Still, Bourne is an effective, explosive receiver when healthy. He posted 406 yards and four TDs in eight games before injuring his knee last season and racked up 800 yards and five scores in 2021.
With Aiyuk out for the season due to a serious knee injury, Bourne would make a ton of sense as a trade target for the Niners.
WR K.J. Osborn
K.J. Osborn seems destined for a trade, even though it’s hard to envision New England receiving anything better than a future seventh-round pick.
The former Minnesota Vikings wideout enjoyed a solid first summer in New England and appeared primed for a big role in Alex Van Pelt’s offense. But Osborn posted just seven catches for 57 yards and one touchdown in the first eight weeks and has plummeted down the depth chart.
“A more likely trade possibility as a veteran option is Osborn, who is on a one-year deal and has thrived elsewhere,” Rapoport wrote after downplaying the Bourne rumors.
Osborn also might want to be traded.
After New England’s Week 7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Osborn shared a screenshot of a text exchange with his agent, who praised the 27-year-old for scoring a touchdown after previously being told he’d be inactive for the game. A few days later, Osborn did little quiet chatter about his future with the Patriots.
“That’s like an alley-oop,” Osborn told reporters when asked whether he wanted to be traded. “This is where I am. This is the place that I signed to be. A lot of things are out of my control. But I like to be where my feet are. Today I’m here. Will just kind of rock with it as it goes.”
As disappointing as Osborn has been, he is still a speedy, experienced receiver who’d be a solid addition for wideout-needy teams such as the 49ers, Chiefs, Ravens, and Buccaneers.
.@MikeGiardi discusses his locker room conversation with K.J. Osborn where the Patriots receiver laughed when asked if he wants to be traded, saying "it's like an alley-oop" 👀 pic.twitter.com/OTkqSKGKOc
— Patriots Coverage on NBCS Boston (@NBCSPatriots) October 23, 2024
CB Jonathan Jones
This is a tough one.
Jonathan Jones hasn’t been named in any credible trade rumors. He is also a career Patriot, a leader in the locker room, and a versatile, consistent corner when healthy. Ideally, he’s someone who would start and finish his career in New England — and he might feel the same way.
But Jones is also 31 years old, will be a free agent next March, and could want one more good shot at winning a Super Bowl. By trading Jones, the Patriots could do right by a veteran while landing a solid return.
Jones currently ranks 35th among all corners by Pro Football Focus, higher than both Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones. Make of PFF rankings what you will, but the ranking feels about right for a criminally underrated player who’s always been above average at his position.
Jones can play boundary corner, slot corner, and safety. Teams with needs in their secondaries should give the Patriots a call.
DT Davon Godchaux
It’s hard to envision the Patriots trading Godchaux, who’s their best (and only) true run-stuffing defensive tackle. Without him, New England’s porous run defense would be even worse.
Nevertheless, Russini floated Godchaux as a trade candidate, a report that surprised a player who received a two-year extension during the summer.
“I was shocked, but at the end of the day, this is a business,” Godchaux told Kyed after Sunday’s win. “I mean, (expletive) happens all the time. I’m sure some guys think they could be on the team for a long time, and something happens. This is the business of the NFL. This is what we signed up for.”
Godchaux, a nose tackle, doesn’t offer much pass-rushing upside but is rock-solid against the run. Teams such as the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, and Seattle Seahawks could use someone like him up front.
TE Hunter Henry
The Patriots shouldn’t trade Hunter Henry. He already is Drake Maye’s most trusted target — taking weapons away from the rookie QB would be an awful idea — and he backs up his captaincy with consistent production.
However, the Patriots also could sell high on the soon-to-be-30-year-old Henry, who’s on pace for one of the most productive seasons of his career. In the first eight weeks, Henry posted 32 catches for 358 yards and one TD while topping 40 yards in four of eight contests.
Is Henry as explosive as he was early in his career? No, but he’s tough, surehanded, and remains an above-average receiving tight end.
The Patriots could offer Henry to playoff-aspiring teams who might want to upgrade at tight end; the Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos come to mind. The Los Angeles Chargers also would make a lot of sense, as Henry could rejoin his former team while bolstering Justin Herbert’s supporting cast.
Again, the Patriots shouldn’t trade Henry. But it’s not that crazy of an idea.