A trade deadline with several blockbuster moves — including a pair in the AFC East — is officially behind us. The New England Patriots, however, watched Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline pass without making
any deals.
For now, the roster will largely stay intact heading toward a Week 10 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Who can be seen as the primary benefactors of the Patriots standing pat at the trade deadline, though? Glad you asked.
Winners
RB Terrell Jennings: After losing Antonio Gibson for the season and with Rhamondre Stevenson dealing with a toe injury, adding running back depth was in consideration for New England. But with no additions, Terrell Jennings remains the RB3 behind TreVeyon Henderson and a healthy Stevenson. In his first game on the active roster against the Falcons, Jennings totaled 35 yards and found the end zone for the first time in his career.
No move could also signify that Stevenson’s injury is not expected to keep him sidelined long term.
WR Kyle Williams: Old friend Jakobi Meyers and the speedy Rashid Shaheed were the top two wide receivers dealt on Tuesday. Following the injury to Kayshon Boutte (hamstring, day to day), the Patriots did not feel the need to add either to bolster their depth chart. That keeps the door open and belief for rookie Kyle Williams, who boasts a similar skillset to Shaheed, to continue in an expected elevated role to help replace Boutte.
ED Elijah Ponder and ED Anfernee Jennings: Following the trade of Keion White, the Patriots found a shallow edge position with even fewer bodies — making it an area they were expected to target prior to the deadline. Now, UDFA Elijah Ponder (13 percent of defensive snaps) and Anfernee Jennings (26 percent) remain the top two backup options. The Patriots will now need more from the duo — or perhaps the recently acquired Caleb Murphy — moving forward as they’ve combined for just eight pressures this season.
ED Bradyn Swinson: If New England’s current depth options can not provide more pass rush juice, the leftover trade deadline thought is could that open the door for rookie Bradyn Swinson to make an appearance? The fifth-round pick remains on the practice squad, but perhaps Swinson, who was one of the country’s best pass rushers at LSU last season, is given an opportunity at some point to get after opposing QBs.
Losers
ED Harold Landry and ED K’Lavon Chaisson: On the other end of the pass rush spectrum, the Patriots defense will continue to have to rely on Harold Landry (79 percent) and K’Lavon Chaisson (69 percent, career-high) in major roles along the edge. The duo has played well this season, but mixing in a reliable third option to spell either pass rusher would have been a welcomed addition — especially as Landry has seemed to be affected by an ankle injury suffered in New Orleans in recent weeks.
