Getty William Jackson III, Washington Commanders
Are the New England Patriots going to make a deal soon?
The NFL Trade deadline is Nov. 1, and there is a slew of players whose names have been a part of speculation for the past few weeks. Washington Commanders’ William Jackson III is one of the more prominent players believed to be available.
Jackson has been unhappy with his usage in Washington, and the former 2016 first-round pick was even benched this past week. He has asked the Commanders to trade him, and the two sides might be at a point of no return.
Sam Fortier of the Washington Post called out the Patriots as one of the teams that could be a potential trade partner for the Commanders.
“Three of the man-heavy teams — Detroit, Miami, and New England — make sense as potential trade partners,” Fortier wrote. “The Patriots have a reputation for rehabilitating talented-but-underperforming players, and the Lions have a need at corner after benching Amani Oruwariye in Week 5. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn also previously excelled as a defensive backs coach in New Orleans.”
Would the Patriots have an interest in making Jackson their latest reclamation project?
Do the Patriots Even Need William Jackson III?
Jackson has some upside, and based on recent events; his trade value shouldn’t be too high for the Patriots to at least kick the tires if there is some interest. However, New England has reason to feel fairly comfortable with their current cornerback situation.
The team drafted two young cornerbacks, Jack Jones, and Marcus Jones. Both have stepped up and had their moments this season. Jack Jones has been especially strong. He shows signs of being a top-cover corner.
According to Pro Football Focus, he is the highest-rated corner in the NFL heading into the team’s Monday night matchup with the Chicago Bears. Veterans Jalen Mills and Jonathan Jones have been solid this season as well, and New England also has Myles Bryant.
Barring an injury, which is always a possibility, the Patriots don’t need to make a move to add a corner. However, it’s still something to consider if they could grab a player with Jackson’s upside for a late-round pick.
Tackle and Wide Receiver Depth Are Better Targets For the Patriots
Isaiah Wynn continues to be a disappointment at whatever tackle spot he plays. The Patriots would be wise to look into adding a player who can start on the opposite of Trent Brown and provide more consistent play.
New England’s O-Line has been pretty strong regarding run blocking, which has helped the team rush for 788 yards on 4.4 yards per carry and 8 TDs through the first six games of the season. Unfortunately, the pass blocking hasn’t been as consistent, allowing just under two sacks per game. That number could be worse, as the quarterbacks have been good at not holding onto the ball too long.
There has been talk of the Patriots trading Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor, but you could argue New England still needs another playmaker in the receiving corps. Jakobi Meyers has seemingly established himself as the go-to target.
He has led the team in receptions the last two years and is on pace to do it for the third year in a row. DeVante Parker is beginning to find his footing, and rookie speedster Tyquan Thornton scored twice in his debut against the Cleveland Browns.
Still, one more weapon in the passing game could help to push New England’s offense even higher as they look to continue the improvement that has the team on a two-game win streak.