The New England Patriots had a busy Tuesday, signing slot cornerback and punt returner Marcus Jones to a three-year extension value $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 group 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 acquainted with 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 house in Week 15.
Coach Mike Vrabel, in his first season with the Patriots, continues to place his stamp on the group, with the current flurry of strikes the most recent examples. Listed below are three prime questions surrounding the strikes, plus Ben Solak’s one participant the Patriots may gain advantage buying and selling for.
Why did New England transfer on from Keion White and Kyle Dugger?
White and Dugger have been preferrred suits within the outdated defensive scheme adopted by former coaches Invoice Belichick and Jerod Mayo, however not a lot in Vrabel’s scheme that values defensive ends who can bend the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 underneath Mayo, whose scheme valued White’s versatility to play a number of spots (DT, DE, OLB). Within the new Vrabel scheme, the workers 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 been on the sector for under 25.9% of the snaps in 2025 because of this.
Dugger is extra of a field security whose capability to play nearer to the road of scrimmage was considered as an asset by Belichick and Mayo, nevertheless it is not a giant a part of the duties of a security in Vrabel’s scheme, which values those that can play a wide range of roles (which is partially why Saunders appealed to them).
In consequence, each White and Dugger slipped down the depth chart. White has been anyplace between the third and fifth defensive finish, relying on the week. He was a wholesome scratch in Sunday’s Week 8 win over the Cleveland Browns, partly as a result of he does not play a lot on particular groups, but additionally as a result of he did not at all times appear to be taking part in 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.
Dugger was the No. 3 security on the depth chart, having misplaced his beginning position to six-year veteran Jaylinn Hawkins and 2025 fourth-round choose Craig Woodson.
How do these strikes assist the Patriots in the long term?
The draft choose compensation (they acquired two sixth-round picks in alternate for White, Dugger and two seventh-round draft picks) is modest.
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 12 months, and a further $1.5 million in roster bonuses, higher positions them 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 12 months, although he’ll be taking part in for the Steelers.
White wasn’t understanding in New England and the scenario appeared to 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 group sooner or later.
White additionally did not at all times appear blissful 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 are going to pay me, I am going to play it.”
Is New England primed to maintain transferring gamers earlier than the commerce 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 acquainted with the group’s considering stated a operating again and veteran cross rusher are the 2 most definitely areas they may goal. Now they’ve two further sixth-round picks as compensation to probably embrace in doable trades.
Vrabel stated Monday that the personnel division is “gauging the market across the league.”
As well as, Vrabel stated Monday he expects observe squad operating again Terrell Jennings to be signed to the 53-man roster by the tip of the week. The group additionally added two operating backs, Rushawn Baker and Jonathan Ward, to the observe squad Tuesday.
Between Jennings and Saunders, the Patriots would have a full 53-man roster. Which means if the group acquires a participant in a commerce, it might must make a corresponding roster transfer.
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One participant the Patriots ought to goal
New Orleans Saints broad receiver Rashid Shaheed.
Each Chris Olave and Shaheed ought to be targets, however Shaheed would in all probability value much less and likewise suits higher into the spread-the-wealth fashion of quarterback Drake Maye.
Shaheed brings a field-tipping velocity ingredient that’s woefully absent in New England’s present receiving corps, and he may very well be simply prolonged whereas conserving loads of wage cap area open for a huge WR1 contract in March. — Ben Solak
