As the trade deadline nears, it’s going to be an interesting one for the New England Patriots. They have a lot of different directions that they can go in, and they can solve one of their biggest problems. However, in order to solve the problem, they may have to trade one of their biggest stars.
Cornerback Stephon Gilmore has been talked about as a player that could be traded by the November 3 deadline. This of course would take away the New England Patriots best secondary player, and the reigning 2019 Defensive Player of the Year. However, could it land the Patriots a star-caliber receiver?
When you look at what the Buffalo Bills gave up for Stefon Diggs, the price was a little steep. The Bills gave up their first round pick which turned out to be Justin Jefferson. Jefferson has turned into a solid weapon in his rookie season with the Vikings. However, Diggs has turned out well for the Bills in his own right, catching 48 passes for 603 yards and three touchdowns this season.
The Patriots would probably get a high-caliber wide receiver in return for a player like Gilmore. Trading away a player of his caliber would be tough for New England, but it’s not like they do not have depth at the position. J.C. Jackson has managed to become a solid corner in his own right. He is currently the third-highest rated corner by Pro Football Focus. From an undrafted player to a necessary contributor, Jackson would help alleviate the loss of Gilmore.
Trading away Gilmore is not something that New England would necessarily want to do. However, there is little doubt that the Patriots need another weapon at wideout.
The Patriots rank 28th in all of the National Football League with 197.2 passing yards per game. They have recorded an average of 163.3 yards per game over the last three contests. They desperately need to add an explosive weapon, and if Gilmore is that chip that does it, it could help New England immediately.
New England could also get high draft picks out of a Gilmore trade, but it would make more sense if they went for immediate help this year instead of banking on draft picks. Bill Belichick’s draft track record is not been good these past couple of years. Especially when you consider the organization’s inability to develop a wide receiver, it may make sense for them to go for the home run with the season slipping away.
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