Getty The New England Patriots can trade a veteran back to his former team for a late-round draft pick.
The New England Patriots may not be as active as expected ahead of the 2023 NFL trade deadline. Not after beating the Buffalo Bills 29-25 in Week 7, but the Pats could still send a veteran defensive back to one of their former Super Bowl opponents.
Versatile Jalen Mills would fetch a sixth-round pick in next year’s draft if he’s dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles. That’s the scenario mapped out by Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus.
Spielberger has the Patriots swapping 29-year-old Mills and a 2024 seventh-round selection for a late-round pick. The deal looks lopsided in favor of the Eagles, but Spielberger thinks “with so many defensive backs in New England, even with a handful of injuries, the Patriots can afford to move on here.”
Returning to Philadelphia could suit Mills, who has “made it clear on social media that he is not exactly stoked with his snap share, so this makes sense for all parties.”
Under normal circumstances, Mills wouldn’t expect a greater share of the snaps in a loaded Eagles secondary, but “starting slot cornerback Avonte Maddox was likely lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle, and safety Reed Blankenship is currently dealing with an injury and didn’t suit up in Week 7.”
Those injuries, along with his versatility, makes Mills a good fit for the franchise he helped to beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl following the 2017 season. The Eagles can still use Mills even after making a blockbuster trade at one of his favored positions.
Patriots, Eagles Both Still Need Jalen Mills Deal
The Eagles snagged All-Pro free safety Kevin Byard from the Tennessee Titans for two late-round picks next year and Terrell Edmunds, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Monday, October 23.
Acquiring Byard doesn’t have to be the end of any idea to send Mills back to Lincoln Financial Field. Especially when the Patriots could use the DB to get better compensation than Spielberger envisaged.
The Eagles still have four fifth-round picks next year, according to Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice. Any one of those picks would surely convince the Patriots to part ways with Mills.
He can play outside cornerback or in the slot. Mills has also posted a “63.7 coverage grade in 2023 with snaps all over the secondary. He is a solid run defender who is willing to throw his body around, currently earning a 77.7 run-defense grade on a small sample,” per Spielberger.
That level of flexibility should be enough for the Eagles to cut a deal just to cover future injuries on the back end. A team with genuine Super Bowl ambitions this season would also get some quality depth for starting corners James Bradberry and Darius Slay.
The 2-5 Patriots don’t have similar ambitions, so they ought to welcome any draft compensation they can get before the deadline on Tuesday, October 31. Mills makes sense as a trade chip because it’s obvious he’s no longer happy in New England.
Jalen Mills Not Happy With Reduced Role
Mills hasn’t been shy about expressing displeasure with his playing time. He posted on social media about getting just 10 snaps during Week 5’s 34-0 defeat to the New Orleans Saints.
Mills’ numbers are way down, with him getting onto the field for a mere 41 snaps in the two games since facing the Saints. The Patriots haven’t needed to rely on Mills since trading to bring J.C. Jackson back to Gillette Stadium.
Jackson, Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant have helped the Patriots cope at corner after rookie Christian Gonzalez landed on injured reserve with a torn labrum. The presence of Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips and Jabrill Peppers means New England’s defense is also well enough stocked at safety not to need Mills.