Exploring 10 Patriots players and why they will or won't be dealt at the NFL trade deadline

The trade deadline is on Tuesday right after week 8, November 5. But big moves have already been made, with wide receivers Davante Adams and Amari Cooper changing teams. It's trade talk season, and the New England Patriots will more likely than not be sellers.

The start of the season wasn't as good as fans would have expected, so it makes sense to recalibrate the thought process and acquire assets for the future.

Therefore, we will list ten players and evaluate if they are tradable or not, taking into consideration the contract and overall value and situation of each piece.

QB Jacoby Brissett - no

Even though Brissett signed an $8 million deal, most of it was paid in the form of a signing bonus, so the Patriots would only clear up $1.2 million. Aside from the fact that New England leads the lead in projected 2025 cap space and doesn't need that extra cash, Brissett was brought in to be a bridge to Drake Maye, which he was, but also to be a helpful backup. So the Patriots have zero motivation to move the veteran.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson - no

Stevenson has had some issues with fumbles, but he is still the most talented running back on the roster and is pretty young (even for a player of his position) at 26. He signed a four-year extension back in June, so a trade is not on the table.

WR Tyquan Thornton - yes

Thornton is certainly the player the Patriots would love to trade. He was drafted to be a role player by the previous regime, and the new one doesn't seem inclined to take advantage of what he does well. There might still be some interest in his speed around the league, and if someone wants to take his rookie contract out of the Patriots' hands, Eliot Wolf would gladly accept it.

WR KJ Osborn - yes

Osborn was brought in to give some veteran stability to the position, but it hasn't happened. The Patriots have more useful pieces in the room, so Osborn is a casualty. The acquiring team would absorb almost $1 million, so the draft compensation wouldn't be significant.

TE Hunter Henry - no

Henry is one of the best, if not the best, offensive weapons on the Patriots. His contract is not particularly cheap, but it's pretty fine for a good tight end. His cap hits are $5.3 million in 2024, $10.5 million in 2025, and $11 million in 2026. The length and value of the deal make Hunter a keeper during the rebuild phase.

CB Jonathan Jones - no

This is a tough one, and I was inclined to say yes until our Patriots writer Sophie Weller dissuaded me from the idea. Jones is 31, he is in the last year of his deal, and a trade would clear $4.67 million. But as aforementioned, New England doesn't need more cap space, and unless someone is willing to part ways with real draft compensation, Jerod Mayo will pound the table to keep an important piece of his defense.

EDGE Josh Uche - yes

Uche is the type of guy who can realistically be moved considering the Patriots' situation. The acquiring team would pay only $926k if the deal is executed at the deadline, so New England could be able to get some important draft capital in return. Uche is 26, which might generate some value, even though he is not more than a situational edge rusher at this point.

EDGE Deatrich Wise - yes

It's hard to project the Patriots really moving Wise, because he's been an important piece of what Mayo has done defensively. But he's 30 years old and a trade at the deadline would save the Patriots $2.6 million. It's the type of move you generally don't make, but a rebuilding team could (and maybe should) consider it.

EDGE Anfernee Jennings - no

Jennings is 27 and re-signed with the Patriots back in March. He's under contract through 2026, so he will be around for longer.

K Joey Slye - no

A rebuilding team should probably consider moving a veteran kicker if someone else calls. But the Patriots spent a fourth-round pick on Chad Ryland and he was awful, so they will just keep Slye around and be happy about it — especially considering nobody would be willing to give up real draft compensation in this type of move.