Patriots Eyeing Trades, Lions, 49ers, Broncos Could Make Sense As Trade Partners With New England

The New England Patriots are looking to improve their roster before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline at 4 p.m. EDT. The team wants to add a wide receiver, and several teams are willing to move players that would make sense for the defending AFC champions.

A few veteran wide receivers can be had at the right price. The Denver Broncos appear willing to trade Demaryius Thomas, and the San Francisco 49ers could move Pierre Garcon. The Detroit Lions might even part with Golden Tate as they fight for a playoff spot.

Thomas and Garcon are both veterans on teams that aren’t going to the postseason. The price tag for either player likely won’t be too high. Detroit is only one game of out first place in the NFC North, and they will only deal Tate for a strong offer. According to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, it would take a mid-round draft pick for the Lions to trade their leading receiver.

In the final year of his contract and at 30 years old, Tate remains as productive as ever. He’s got 44 catches for 517 yards and three touchdowns in seven games. Tate is on pace to surpass the 1,000-yard mark for the fourth time in five years.

The same can’t be said for Thomas, who doesn’t appear to be the same player he was a few years ago. After failing to reach 1,000 receiving yards in 2017 for the first time in six seasons, Thomas is on pace for just 804 yards in 2018. Emmanuel Sanders is the No.1 option in Denver, and Thomas could soon be passed by rookie Courtland Sutton.

Garcon had 1,041 yards when he played a full season in 2016, followed by 500 yards in eight games last year. He’s caught 21 passes for 230 yards this season, struggling to have a big game with C.J. Beathard at quarterback.

If the Patriots add one of the available wide receivers, that could mean they are trading a receiver that’s already on the roster, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. Adding another notable pass-catcher to a receiving corps that already includes Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon could make someone like Phillip Dorsett expendable.

Dorsett has only 32 catches for 392 yards in 23 career games with the Patriots. New England traded quarterback Jacoby Brissett to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for Dorsett just prior to the start of the 2017 season.