We are now a little over a week away from the NFL Trade deadline (November 10, 4 p.m.). A handful of sizeable deals have already been made, and I’m sure one or two more could shock the system.
If you hoped the Patriots would be in on anything that costs something substantial, I don’t get the sense that’s in their future. They made their big moves in the offseason, signing Alijah Vera-Tucker in free agency and trading for A.J. Brown. Neither is making the impact Mike Vrabel and company hoped for, but there is still time.
Meanwhile, the Pats still have holes that an infusion of outside talent could plug. The team can make a trade or two without giving up any day-one or day-two picks. Yes, draft capital can be overrated, but given how talent-starved the 2024 (one player), 2023 (two), 2022 (one), and 2021 (two) drafts were, you should understand why cost-controlled, younger players matter for the Pats going forward.
That said, I’d gladly part with some day-three selections; the team has two fifths, four sixths, Minnesota’s seventh in 2027, and an extra sixth in 2028, to help this team. So, with an eye on the budget (an NFL-low $1.5 million in cap space, which obviously can be rectified quickly if they choose) and sensibility (no “Trade Schooler, Will Campbell’s knee brace and a 2031 7th-round pick for Vita Vea’ nonsense here), here are some targets:
I won’t apologize for how I feel about Roy Lopez. The 29-year-old inked a two-year deal with the Cardinals this offseason, and quite frankly, I thought it was a mistake for the Pats not to be involved, especially for the cost (2 years, $10.5 million). They were willing to pay Khyiris Tonga somewhere in that neighborhood, but after they butchered those negotiations, they decided not to address the position at all. Then, lo and behold, they realized they weren’t good enough there and added DaQuan Jones on a short-term contract worth up to $6.5 million this season. Ummmm…
I can't quit you, Roy Lopez. https://t.co/54OenENCQh
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) October 30, 2026
Lopez is a 6’2”, 318-lb mountain of a man who is hard to move in the run game, an obvious issue for the Pats. His 14 stops (defined as tackles that constitute a "failure" for the offense) are tied for fourth amongst all interior defensive linemen who have played at least 100 snaps. His 17 solo tackles are tied for 5th. Lopez has also added a sack, a QB hit and two hurries. He’s owed about $1.3 million in cash from today through the end of the season and is set for a modest number next year. Sign me up.
If you want to stay in that same player profile, Tampa Bay’s A’Shawn Robinson (31) would fit the bill. There’s only one problem: if the Bucs win this weekend, they'll likely resist selling. Robinson comes cheap, with only $2.2 million in cash owed before he becomes a free agent. He’s 6’4”, 320 pounds and has been one of the better run defenders in his part-time role. He has half as many stops as Lopez, but he’s also played 45 fewer snaps.
Indy’s Grover Stewart makes the list, but at 33, he’s more of a