Source on Patriots gauging trade market for Kony Ealy: ‘Don’t think there’s anything to it’

A league source sounded a dubious note Friday on a report that the Patriots had gauged the market on a potential trade of defensive end Kony Ealy.


“I don’t think there is anything to it,” a league source close to Ealy told Bostonsportsjournal.com Friday morning.

It’s important to note that with a constantly shifting personnel picture at this time of the year, these sorts of things can change at a moments notice. And while the report from NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero indicated that Ealy had also “started to settle in” with the Patriots, right now, it sounds like it might be premature to discuss trade possibilities for the former Carolina pass rusher.

The 6-foot-4, 275-pound Ealy was acquired by the Patriots from Carolina along with a 2017 second-round draft selection (64th overall) in a trade in exchange for a 2017 third-round draft selection (72nd overall) on March 11. He's one of a handful of pass rushers currently on the roster bidding to replace the production of Rob Ninkovich, Chris Long and Jabaal Sheard, all of whom left New England this past offseason.