The Patriots’ edge-rusher conversation just got a lot more urgent.
With the NFL trade deadline less than a week away and November 10 creeping up fast, New England finds itself in the middle of the league’s buyer-seller shuffle. The roster has been battered by injuries, which is why the Patriots have been viewed by some as a team that could add. Others think executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and head coach Mike Vrabel may be more interested in getting younger and collecting draft picks.
If New England does decide to buy, edge rusher has to be near the top of the list. It’s a position the Patriots have been tied to for years, and this season looked like it might finally be settling down thanks to Elijah Ponder and second-round pick Gabe Jacas.
Jacas had been one of the bright spots. Through eight games, he had three sacks, 24 tackles, four tackles for loss and one interception.
He also ranked 11th in PFF grade, 12th in pass-rush grade and ninth in pass-rush win rate, while leading all rookies in those last three categories. Then came Sunday’s win over the Miami Dolphins, when Jacas went down in the second half with a knee issue.
The severity is still unclear, and more should be known when the first injury report comes out Wednesday.
That leaves New England with a question to answer if Jacas is out for any length of time. The Patriots do have Dre’Mont Jones at defensive end, along with practice squad options Jose Ramirez and Xavier Holmes on the perimeter, but if they want help from outside the building, there are a few names that fit.
One possible target is Tampa Bay’s Yaya Diaby, a 6-foot-4, 270-pound linebacker who has drawn interest around the league. Diaby has been a key part of the Buccaneers’ defense and is in the final year of his rookie deal, which could make him a cheaper rental than some other options.
The catch is that he also suffered a grade two MCL sprain in Tampa Bay’s 16-0 win over Atlanta on Sunday and is expected to miss several weeks. That injury lowers his value, but it could also lower the cost.
If his timetable ends up looking better than Jacas’, he could still be in play.
Then there’s Khalil Mack, a veteran who may not move like he once did but is still making an impact. The 13-year veteran has three sacks and 21 tackles this season and is on the field for 70% of the Chargers’ defensive snaps.
Los Angeles is 0-7 and could be looking to cash in on veteran pieces, and Mack’s $4.4 million cap hit for the rest of the season fits with the cap space New England opened up after restructuring Hunter Henry’s contract. His style also lines up with what Vrabel wants from his defensive linemen.
The Patriots could also look toward Tennessee for Arden Key II, a former Pro Bowl defensive end who is in the final year of his rookie contract. He was acquired by the Titans from the New York Jets in the offseason and has put together three sacks and 20 tackles this year. Tennessee, sitting at 1-7, is another team worth watching if it starts moving valuable pieces, and Vrabel’s Tennessee ties make this one easy to imagine, even though the two never overlapped in Nashville.
Another name to keep in mind is Jermaine Johnson II. He’s also on an expiring deal and has three sacks and 20 tackles this season.
Johnson was traded to the Titans from the Jets in the offseason and has emerged as one of the top defensive free agent prospects of the 2027 offseason. Like Diaby, he would be a rental for New England, but that’s part of the appeal if the Patriots want help without a long-term commitment.
Finally, there’s Aidan McDonald IV, though a division trade this late in the process would be rare. Between 2024 and 2025, McDonald posted 18.5 sacks, but his role has been reduced this season after the arrival of first-round pick David Bailey in New York. He has one year left on his rookie contract and could be trying to build his value before reaching free agency in 2028.
If New England does call about a defensive end, it may be more likely to target Tuipulotu than Mack. Tuipulotu is in the final year of his rookie contract and has three sacks, 30 tackles and two forced fumbles this season.
In 2025, he had 13 sacks and 20 tackles for loss and made his first Pro Bowl. Like Johnson, he would probably be a short-term addition unless the Patriots shuffle other parts of the roster.
With Christian Gonzalez’s record-breaking extension already done and Drake Maye’s eventual record-breaking extension looming next offseason, long-term trade swings are tough to pull off in November.
There are bigger names available, but these five make sense because they come with less financial risk and a smaller price tag than players like Maxx Crosby or Josh Sweat.
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