2019 NFL trade deadline: Which teams made the best deals?
By John Buhler
1. Mohamed Sanu to the New England Patriots from the Atlanta Falcons
Of course, the New England Patriots made the best trade at the deadline. With Rob Gronkowski retiring this past offseason and Tom Brady not getting any younger, Bill Belichick made a trade with the Atlanta Falcons for reliable slot receiver Mohamed Sanu.
Sanu had been the third wide receiver option in Atlanta behind Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. With tight end Austin Hooper playing like a Pro Bowler again, catches were getting harder to come by for Sanu. Plus, the losing in Atlanta had to be getting old. So the Falcons wisely dealt Sanu to the Patriots in exchange for a 2020 second-round pick back on Oct. 22.
The reason this is the best trade made thus far is that it helps both teams considerably. For New England, it gives Brady a reliable receiver in Sanu who knows what it takes to play winning football. Sanu is a Rutgers guy and those guys always flourish in Foxborough under Belichick. Look for Sanu to make a big catch or two in New England’s quest for Lombardi Trophy No. 1.
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As for Atlanta, the Falcons are going nowhere fast. They’re 1-7 and will probably see massive changes both in the coaching staff and in the front office this offseason. The Falcons had too many mouths to feed in the passing game and are so up against the salary cap in 2020, it’s ridiculous. Getting a second-round pick for the team’s fourth-best pass-catcher was a steal.