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T
he New England Patriots are familiar with failed draft picks but this former fourth overall pick could find new life in New England.
In 2022, the Patriots’ defense will be quite important. They have suffered a major loss and will be looking to reinvent themselves this season.
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J.C. Jackson has left New England along with Kyle Van Noy and the Patriots have yet to sign Dont’a Hightower and it doesn’t look like that will be happening anytime soon.
With the departure of multiple members of the front seven, players such as Matthew Judon, Ja’Whaun Bentley, and Deatrich Wise will need to step up.
But New England could also need some help improving the unit as a whole. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox believes that Clelin Ferrell would be a great fit for the Patriots.
“While the Raiders may have to change Ferrell’s position to get him on the field, the New England Patriots could use him on the edge,” states Knox. “New England doesn’t have a clear-cut complement to linebacker Matt Judon, who accounted for 12.5 of the team’s 36 sacks in 2021.
“Ferrell would be a bit of a project, but Patriots coach Bill Belichick has long been keen on picking up other teams’ castoffs—Randy Moss, LeGarrette Blount and Danny Shelton are just a few examples. With a potential shot at a significant role—and in a defense that ranked fourth overall and second in points allowed last season—Ferrell could finally have a chance to flourish. All it might take is for new head coach Josh McDaniels to place a call to his old team.”
How Has Ferrell Performed in the NFL?
Ferrell has had an up and down start to his career. He has tallied 79 tackles and eight sacks in three seasons. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, Ferrell will be a threat on the edge.
But Ferrell struggled last season only tallying 1.5 sacks. New England would need a lot more from him if they were to trade for him.
Who Could Be Involved in a Potential Trade?
Whenever a trade is mentioned, N’Keal Harry’s name comes to mind. Any chance to get something in return for the failed wide receiver would be better than outright cutting him.
Harry has only been able to record 57 receptions for 598 yards and 4 touchdowns in three seasons. New England failed to pick up his fifth-year option meaning that Harry will be free to test the market at the end of the season.
While draft picks would likely need to be involved to offset the Raiders taking on Harry, if New England could get Ferrell in return, it would be a victory for the Patriots front office. If Ferrell is able to be a crucial part of the front seven and is able to get in the backfield, fans in New England would be ecstatic.
It will be interesting to see if Bill Belichick and his former protege are able to strike a deal and possibly help one another out by giving these two players a fresh start to their NFL careers.