The rebuilding New England Patriots don’t have many clear trade assets, but veteran edge rusher Deatrich Wise Jr. could bring in some value before the trade deadline on Tuesday, November 5. This idea comes from Khaled Elsayed of Pro Football Focus, who noted that Wise will be a free agent in 2025, making a fresh start potentially beneficial for him while also providing New England with some return before the offseason.
Wise could be seen as trade material due to his versatility and pass-rushing skills. However, those same strengths still make him a valuable part of a Patriots defense that has underperformed this season.
Deatrich Wise Jr. Still Has Value for Patriots
An experienced and versatile front-seven player like Deatrich Wise still holds significant value for the Patriots. The 30-year-old is capable of lining up on the edge, as a five-technique defensive end over an offensive tackle, or even moving inside to create pressure from the interior.
While Wise’s numbers aren’t eye-popping, he remains active and intelligent in the Patriots’ complex defensive schemes. With 31 career sacks, his performance has been solid, though his production dipped in 2023.
However, Wise has shown a renewed drive to pressure quarterbacks this season. Through six games, he has recorded two sacks, six pressures, three hurries, and one quarterback knockdown, according to Pro Football Reference.
One of those sacks came in Week 3 against the New York Jets, where Wise sacked Aaron Rodgers after executing a clever tackle-end stunt with outside linebacker Josh Uche, as noted by Aaron Day of DLineVids.
Given his ability to generate pressure in various ways, Wise is a player the Patriots should retain, especially considering their defense has only tallied 14 sacks this season.
The absence of elite edge rushers is a notable issue, particularly after the team traded four-time Pro Bowler Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons. This suggests that, rather than selling assets before the trade deadline, the Patriots should be looking to strengthen their roster.
Patriots Should Be Buyers in Trade Market
With $35,038,533 in salary cap space, according to Spotrac.com, the Patriots have the flexibility to enhance their roster through trade. Additionally, their nine picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, including two third-rounders and three seventh-round selections, provide ample trade ammunition, as reported by Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network. These assets could be enough to entice another team to part with a veteran for draft capital.
There are also intriguing potential trade targets for the Patriots. One possibility is Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who could provide the deep threat the Patriots’ offense desperately needs.
Adding another pass-catcher would help rookie quarterback Drake Maye, but the Patriots may also focus on strengthening their defense, which currently ranks 21st in points and 25th in yards allowed. A trade within the AFC East for Miami Dolphins pass-rusher Emmanuel Ogbah, a versatile edge rusher capable of disrupting plays from various spots on the line, could be a smart move.
Ogbah and Johnson are among the seven trade candidates identified by NFL.com’s Tom Blair, and with plenty of other names likely to surface, the Patriots have several options to bolster their roster and address their team’s struggles.
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