Why did the 6-2 Patriots commerce away two former starters?

The New England Patriots had a busy Tuesday, signing slot cornerback and punt returner Marcus Jones to a three-year extension price $36 million, then buying and selling defensive finish Keion White to the San Francisco 49ers and security Kyle Dugger to the Pittsburgh Steelers in offers that included a swap of late-round draft picks.

The crew additionally plans to signal rookie security John Saunders Jr. off the Miami Dolphins' observe squad to their 53-man roster to fill Dugger's void, per sources conversant in the Patriots' plan.

The strikes come forward of Tuesday's NFL commerce deadline (4 p.m. ET).

The Patriots (6-2) have been one of many NFL's shock groups and are in first place within the AFC East, with the five-time defending division champion Buffalo Payments (5-2) straight behind them. The Patriots beat the Payments, 23-20, on the highway in Week 5 and can play them at dwelling in Week 15.

Coach Mike Vrabel, in his first season with the Patriots, continues to place his stamp on the crew, with the current flurry of strikes the newest examples. Listed here are three prime questions surrounding the strikes, plus Ben Solak's one participant the Patriots may benefit buying and selling for.

Why did New England transfer on from two former starters now?

White and Dugger have been superb suits within the previous defensive scheme adopted by former head coaches Invoice Belichick and Jerod Mayo, however not a lot in Vrabel's scheme that values defensive ends who can bend the sting and safeties who can play a number of spots.

White performed 74% of the defensive snaps in 2024 below Maye, whose scheme valued White's versatility to play a number of spots (DT, DE, OLB). Within the new Vrabel scheme, the employees locked White (6-foot-5, 285 kilos) in at DE behind Harold Landry III (6-2, 252) and Okay'Lavon Chaisson (6-3, 255) — who're at their finest bending the sting. White is not a pure bender as he tends to win extra with pure energy. White has solely been on the sphere for 25.9% of the snaps in 2025 because of this.

Dugger is extra of a field security whose means to play nearer to the road of scrimmage was seen as an asset by Belichick and Mayo however he is not a giant a part of the obligations of a security in Vrabel's scheme, which values those that can play a wide range of roles (which is a part of why Saunders, off the Dolphins observe squad, appealed to them).

Consequently, each White and Dugger slipped down the depth chart. White has been wherever between the third and fifth defensive finish, relying on the week. He was a wholesome scratch in Sunday's Week 8 win, partly as a result of he does not play a lot on particular groups, but in addition as a result of he did not all the time appear to be enjoying with the identical depth as he did in the beginning of the 2024 season when he totaled 4 sacks within the first two video games.

And Dugger was the No. 3 security on the depth chart, having misplaced his beginning function to six-year veteran Jaylinn Hawkins and 2025 fourth-round decide Craig Woodson.

How do these strikes assist the Patriots in the long term?

The draft decide compensation, receiving two sixth-round draft picks in change for White, Dugger and two seventh-round draft picks, is modest.

So the place the Dugger commerce helps the Patriots most is financially. They're over the wage cap for 2026 and shedding Dugger's $10.75 million base wage that yr, and an extra $1.5 million in roster bonuses, higher positions themselves cap-wise. Likewise for 2027 when Dugger was scheduled to earn a base wage of $11.75 million, along with $1.5 million in roster bonuses.

To get out of these years of the contract, the Patriots agreed to pay a good portion of Dugger's remaining ensures this yr, despite the fact that he'll be enjoying for the Steelers.

On White, it wasn't understanding in New England and appeared prefer it hit a breaking level this week when he was inactive. So if his departure opens the door for the acquisition of a veteran cross rusher or the elevation and progress of a youthful rusher, it might assist the crew sooner or later.

White additionally did not all the time appear completely happy within the locker room, at one level in early September telling MassLive about his demotion: “So long as I've a job, I like the truth that I've one. I might care much less. They may put me at nook. If they will pay me, I will play it.”

Is New England primed to maintain transferring gamers earlier than the Nov. 4 deadline?

Nothing can be a shock, though the percentages favor them including as an alternative of subtracting based mostly on their first-place standing. Sources conversant in the crew's considering stated working again and a veteran cross rusher are the 2 most certainly areas they aim. Now they've two further sixth-round picks as compensation to doubtlessly embody in potential trades.

Vrabel stated Monday there are ongoing conversations that the personnel division has wherein they're “gauging the market across the league.”

As well as, Vrabel stated Monday he expects observe squad working again Terrell Jennings to be signed to the 53-man roster by the top of the week. The crew additionally added two working backs, Rushawn Baker and Jonathan Ward, to the observe squad Tuesday.

So between Jennings and Saunders, the Patriots would have a full 53-man roster. Meaning if the crew acquires a participant in a commerce, they would want to make a corresponding roster transfer.

One participant the Patriots ought to goal

New Orleans Saints vast receiver Rashid Shaheed.

Each Chris Olave and Shaheed ought to be targets, however Shaheed would most likely price much less and likewise suits nicer into the spread-the-wealth model of quarterback Drake Maye.

Shaheed brings a field-tipping pace aspect that's woefully absent in New England's present receiving corps, and he may very well be simply prolonged whereas protecting loads of wage cap house open for a big WR1 contract subsequent March. — Ben Solak