With a 5-3 record, the New England Patriots should probably buy at the NFL trade deadline. But that doesn’t mean they won’t sell too.
NFL insider Albert Breer proposed the possibility the Patriots could do both before Tuesday. Breer also named two veterans New England could shop to other teams. One of those veterans was longtime starting cornerback Carlton Davis III.
“There are a few teams that are looking at both buying and selling,” wrote Breer. One is the Patriots, who’ve discussed moving veteran DT Christian Barmore or CB Carlton Davis III—the cost for either would likely be about a fourth-round pick, though I don’t think they’d move both—while they’ve shopped around for help on the edge.
Both players are certainly notable mentions regarding the trade deadline. But Davis is a nine-year veteran and Super Bowl champion starter.
With the Patriots, Davis has started 21 games over the past two seasons. In his first campaign with New England, the team earned a trip to the Super Bowl.
The cornerback joined the Patriots before the 2025 campaign on a 3-year, $54 million deal.
Could Patriots Trade Carlton Davis Before Tuesday?
The Patriots trading Davis probably won’t make sense to a lot of fans. But Davis played his first game this past Sunday against the Miami Dolphins in nearly a month because of a neck injury.
The fact New England went 2- in the veteran’s absence gives some credence to the idea.
Davis also has a $22 million cap hit in 2027 that the Patriots might not want on the books with the cornerback turning 30 in December.
Still, SB Nation’s Pats Pulpit’s Andrew Guindon couldn’t get on board with the idea of the Patriots trading Davis.
“Shipping him off to another franchise creates a glaring hole in the cornerback room. That decision then forces Vrabel and the defensive coaching staff to decide between starting substitute Charles Woods opposite Christian Gonzalez or pulling Marcus Jones away from his natural nickel-cornerback position,” wrote Guindon on Saturday.
“With several offenses in the Patriots’ remaining schedule currently ranking top 10 in passing yards per game, that potential decision seems counterproductive.”
The Patriots also weren’t stellar in pass defense without Davis for three weeks in October. New England allowed 261.3 passing yards per game without the veteran in the lineup.
Patriots Should Buy at 2026 NFL Trade Deadline
Breer did write the Patriots could buy in addition to selling Tuesday. But with a 5-3 record and in pretty firm control of a playoff spot, it’s simply hard to imagine New England parting with anything on the current roster.
Perhaps a Christian Barmore trade is more likely for the Patriots because the team has depth at defensive tackle. But dealing Barmore potentially creates a hole at defensive tackle if an injury occurs.
Why would the Patriots want to take away one of their defensive strengths?
It makes sense that the Patriots might not want to make an all-move before Tuesday. Deals at the deadline are costly and often don’t work out.
But that doesn’t mean New England should sell.
Patriots Could Part Ways With $54 Million CB at NFL Trade Deadline: Insider