It would seem that the New England Patriots have taken notes from the Green Bay Packers in quarterback scouting -- finally. After whiffing on Mac Jones for a few years (and he even reached the Pro Bowl as a rookie, so who are we to judge), Drake Maye has skyrocketed in his second year, becoming one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Not coincidentally, the Pats find themselves back in the driver's seat of the AFC East just five seasons removed from having the GOAT on their roster (seriously Buffalo, you had all the time in the world).
To cement their hold and prevent Josh Allen & Co. from rising back up again this season to claim the division crown, the Patriots do still have a couple of holes to fill. With the trade deadline looming, these are the blockbuster moves they should make to keep the Bills at arm's length.
1. Tony Pollard, RB, Tennessee Titans
The first and most glaring need for the Patriots is at the running back position. Antonio Gibson is out for the season, Rhamondre Stevenson has a case of the butterfingers, and rookie TreVeyon Henderson isn't good enough of a pass blocker to warrant full three-down status. What New England needs is a veteran back who can fill out the rotation and can be a dependable passing down asset from moment to moment. Count that doubly with Rhamondre Stevenson's health in question after missing multiple practices prior to Week 9.
And the fans and analysts have been screaming for Tony Pollard. He's having a bit of a down year (3.9 ypc), but Pollard is coming off of three straight 1,000-yard seasons. The Titans are just bad. He'd be an immediate upgrade to Stevenson on paper, and even when Stevenson returns from injury, Pollard would turn a weak three-man running back rotation into one of the stronger ones in the league.
2. Jaelin Phillips, LB, Miami Dolphins
Divisional trades are rare, but the Dolphins are the rare team that likely needs to move on from its current core to make room for whatever future they have planned. And with the Patriots suddenly finding their championship window more open than they'd thought, a home run swing on one of the best edge rushers in the league could put them over the top.
And if the Dolphins are truly as reticent to part ways with their young star as they've shown to be thus far, either one of Bradley Chubb or Matthew Judon wouldn't be a terrible consolation prize either. Moral of the story is that the Patriots need a playmaker to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks (one in particular), and the Dolphins are a goldmine waiting to be tapped.
3. Rashid Shaheed, WR, New Orleans Saints
The Patriots' wide receiver room has gelled as of late, with QB Drake Maye developing a real connection with both veteran Stefon Diggs (42/49 receptions, 470 yards, 170 YAC) and third-year pro Kayshon Boutte (431 yards, 5 TDs). But especially with Diggs' health in question as of late, New England could use a true WR3, even with Hunter Henry also joining in the party (317 yards, 4 TDs).
Enter the Saints' most likely receiver to be dealt around the deadline. Rashid Shaheed is a speed demon and could really open things up for both Diggs and Boutte, who largely operate in the middle of the field (Boutte leads the team in average yards per catch with 18.7, but that seems largely born out of necessity). The Patriots are certainly in the market to beef up their skill positions, and Shaheed would add a dimension to their offense that they don't currently have in truth.