The quarterback is expected to be the biggest area of uncertainty for the Patriots as they enter the 2020 NFL season.
Much remains to be known about the signal caller for New England, but there are arguably more question marks surrounding another post in Foxboro as the new campaign approaches.
The Patriots’ current linebacker squad leaves a little to be desired. Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins and Elandon Roberts have all found new free agency homes, and Dont’a Hightower has chosen to retire from the 2020 season. New England will now look to Ja’Whaun Bentley and Chase Winovich for lead his LB corps, while rookies Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings and Cassh Maluia could play leading roles for the start.
In an effort to resolve the issue, Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia suggests the Patriots trade a rally for a linebacker. Kapadia listed six deals on Monday that he said should be cut short before Week 1, including New England sending a sixth-round pick to Washington for Ryan Anderson.
Kapadia believes the hypothetical trade makes sense for both parties. Anderson, a second-round pick in 2017, had four sacks and 44 total tackles last season. He is expected to earn around $ 1.2 million this season before entering free agency next spring. Washington would be able to secure an asset in exchange for Anderson, who, as Kapadia notes, could see playing time reduced in 2020 as the franchise moves to defense of Ron Rivera.
While teams might be a little more reluctant to trade given the current state of the NFL, we probably shouldn’t rule anything out when it comes to Bill Belichick. The Patriots head coach is always looking for ways to improve his squad, and he’s proven in the past he’s not afraid to pull the trigger on a trade in the days leading up to the start of a season.
Thumbnail photo via Bob Donnan / USA TODAY Sports Images
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