Two weeks out from the 2026 NFL trade deadline, the Patriots are being sized up as one of the league’s biggest buyers, with pass rush sitting at the top of the shopping list.
That makes sense. Rookie Gabe Jacas and Elijah Ponder have outplayed expectations, but New England still isn’t generating steady heat on opposing quarterbacks. Unless that changes, the defense is going to keep leaving pressure on the table.
Harold Landry III was supposed to fill that role, but an injury has kept him on the Physically Unable to Perform list since the offseason. With no clear return date in sight, the Patriots could be forced to look outside the building for help.
One name to know is Tuli Tuipulotu. The Chargers are 0-6 through seven weeks and are expected to be heavy sellers, which puts a player like Tuipulotu in play.
He was a 2023 second-round pick and is in the final year of his rookie deal. Contract extension talks this past offseason went nowhere, and after a frustrating season, it would make plenty of sense for Los Angeles to listen.
Tuipulotu is coming off a huge 2024 season that featured 49 combined tackles, 20 for a loss, 23 quarterback hits, 3 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and 13 sacks. Through six games this year, he’s on pace to top several of those marks even though he has only 2 sacks so far.
Since last season started, he ranks 11th in pressure rate among players with at least 250 pass-rush snaps. At 24, he checks the age box too, and his style fits what Mike Vrabel wants.
There’s even a chance he doesn’t get moved if the Chargers decide Khalil Mack is the one they want to shop, but that shouldn’t keep the Patriots from calling.
YaYa Diaby is another possible fit. He’s also in the final year of his contract in 2026, which raises the odds that Tampa Bay would move him before he reaches free agency next year. He’d likely cost less than some of the other names on the market, but that doesn’t mean he lacks value.
Diaby has been steady and dependable, and he has not missed a game in his career. This season, he already has 16 combined tackles, 6 for a loss, 6 quarterback hits, an interception, 2 passes defended, and 3 sacks. For a Patriots team working within cap limits, he stands out as a practical target.
Will McDonald IV is another edge rusher who could come up in trade conversations. In-division deals don’t happen often, but the Jets may be pushed into difficult choices before the deadline. They already picked up his fifth-year option for the 2027 season, yet the arrival of David Bailey has changed the picture, especially with the second overall pick finally making an impact.
McDonald, the 2023 first-rounder, hasn’t fully matched his draft status so far. He had 8 sacks last season and has 2 more through 7 games this year, but he has started only one game because the competition at his spot has increased. If the Jets don’t view him as part of their long-term plans, New England could be in position to pounce.
Nolan Smith also belongs on the Patriots’ radar. The Eagles have a reputation for being aggressive under GM Howie Roseman, and that alone makes Smith a name to monitor. Philadelphia picked up his fifth-year option earlier this year, then restructured the deal so a trade would leave them with just over $1 million in dead cap, which is unusual and opens the door even wider.
With Jalen Hurts lost for the season, the Eagles’ 2026 campaign already looks like a wash, and Smith could bring back a strong return. The 2023 first-round pick had a career-best 6.5 sacks in 2024, and his violent approach would fit what Vrabel wants from his defensive front.
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Patriots Suddenly Have A Receiver Situation Fans Need To Watch
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If Nacua were to become available down the line, he would immediately jump to the top of the kind of receiver conversation the Patriots have to be having behind the scenes. The appeal is obvious for a team trying to stabilize its passing game, but there is still plenty of distance between speculation and reality, and the bigger question for New England is how the rest of its receiving depth settles in before that market even opens. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Trade Deadline Watch Centers On A Chargers Defender Who Fits A Need
The Patriots have stayed competitive through an inconsistent start, even as injuries have thinned out parts of the roster and left the team needing more reliable answers in a few spots. Linebacker depth is one of those areas, and it has become easy to see why New England might be keeping an eye on the trade market as the deadline nears.
One name that fits the profile is a Chargers defender who has been productive on an otherwise struggling team and could appeal to a Patriots defense looking for experienced help behind its starters. Los Angeles is widely expected to listen on deals as its season has gone sideways, which puts a workable fit on the table for New England if it wants to reinforce a position group that could use another proven option. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Trade Flurry Leaves One Big Question Before The Deadline
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Browns arrival gave the Patriots another option at receiver, but the broader question is how much of a return they are actually getting from this wave of transactions. Kiner has settled in as the third back and Reed has carved out his own role, yet the deadline still leaves New England with a lingering issue about whether these moves are building a deeper team or simply creating more moving parts for a roster still searching for dependable production. [Read more 🡒]