The NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, November 10, is looming large and the whispers are getting loud for the New England Patriots, with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer calling out defensive tackle Christian Barmore and cornerback Carlton Davis as prime trade candidates. Breer says the motivation would be all about grabbing draft capital and injecting some youth into the roster, but Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is slamming the brakes on that idea, big time.
Vrabel To Reports: “Certainly Not From Any Conversations With Me!”
Vrabel did not mince words when he talked to the media this past Wednesday. “I think sometimes national reports have the tendency to do that,” he said, flat out denying he’d shared any such info. “This time of year, I think that all these things kind of get drummed up. So, we’re focused on trying to prepare for [the Green Bay Packers on Sunday] and make the corrections from [last week].” He made it clear: “This is business as normal here, so I don’t know where a lot of these things come from. Certainly not from any conversations with me.” You can feel the frustration there, right? Especially when the team is sitting at a respectable 5-3 record at the midway point of the regular season. Shipping off an impact player now, when you’re still fighting for the AFC East title, seems wild. If they’re moving pieces, you’d think they’d be making a “buying” move to reinforce, not tearing it down. Vrabel himself even said after a preseason win against the Eagles that he doesn’t think his team is “very deep.” That alone should tell you selling isn’t the move right now.
Christian Barmore’s Roller Coaster Year And The Fallout Of A Trade
Let’s talk Barmore, because this is where it gets spicy. Just last year, in 2023, the dude had his best season as a pro. We’re talking 8.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits, and pressuring passers a whopping 49 times. He was a beast against the run too, forcing 13 tackles for a loss and racking up 64 combined takedowns. That kind of performance earned him a fat four-year, $84 million contract extension. Now, in year two of that deal, his production hasn’t quite matched the dollar signs, especially in run defense. His involvement there dropped from 62.8% to just 36% since last season. That’s a significant dip, no doubt. But here’s the kicker: New England still sees him as a legit pass-rush threat, using him heavily on critical third-down plays. Trading Barmore isn’t just a simple swap; it’d gut their defensive line. Cory Durden would get thrust into a new, pass-rush-heavy role, and 34-year-old DaQuan Jones, who’s usually a relief piece, would be saddled with a much heavier workload. Does that sound like a team trying to win the division? No chance.
The trade deadline on Tuesday, November 10, is going to be huge for the Patriots. Vrabel’s got his team focused on preparing for the Green Bay Packers this Sunday. What happens between now and Tuesday could define whether New England pushes for that AFC East title or if they start looking toward next year. Talk about high stakes.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
Leave a Reply