Two of the New England Patriots' biggest weaknesses in 2019 were their lack of a playmaker at tight end and depth at receiver. Per Albert Breer of SI.com, New England is actively looking at the trade market to fix those shortcomings.

The Patriots have used the trade market in recent years to try and fix the same problems. Last October, the team traded for Atlanta Falcons wideout Mohamed Sanu in exchange for a 2020 second-round pick. In September of 2018, New England traded a 2019 fifth-round pick for troubled but talented Cleveland Browns receiver Josh Gordon and a conditional seventh-round pick.

After just a season and a half in New England, the Patriots would waive Gordon after he was suspended by the NFL for violating the league's substance-abuse policy — a common occurrence in his career.

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The retirement of All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski prior to the start of last season certainly hindered the Patriots' offensive potential. The team was stuck using a combination of Ben Watson, Matt LaCosse, and Ryan Izzo at the tight end position. The trio was largely ineffective in 2019, combining for just 418 yards and two touchdowns on the season.

As for the team's situation at receiver, production was minimal from players not named Julian Edelman. Sanu caught 26 balls for 207 yards and one touchdown in eight games with his new team and fifth-year wideout Phillip Dorsett led all non-Edelman wide recievers with 397 yards and five touchdowns.