The New England Patriots officially embark on a new season this week when veterans report for training camp on Tuesday and the first practices of the year take place on Wednesday.
As is customary with every training camp, the Patriots will have to shrink their roster from 90 players to 53 by the end of August. Most of those players will get cut to help trim down the roster, but there could be a couple that are traded to help recuperate some value.
Here are a few players that could be trade candidates for the Patriots before things play themselves out in training camp.
3. Trent Brown
Things got off to a weird start for the offensive tackle this spring. He didn't attend any of the team's voluntary organized team activities practices that were made available to the media in May and June.
When mandatory minicamp began, Brown was missing from the first practice because of a reported weather delay that messed up the timing of his flight. Brown arrived to minicamp a day later, but he only worked with the team for one session before going off to the side and doing some work with the injured players.
You could speculate that Brown might be looking for his contract situation to be resolved as he's in the final year of a two-year deal. He was also signed during the 2022 offseason, before the team switched him from playing right tackle back to left tackle. He only received $4 million guaranteed and $13 million in total salary in that contract, which is hardly the money you pay for a veteran starting left tackle.
Either way, Brown's situation is tricky entering training camp. It gets even trickier when you consider that the Patriots' offensive tackle situation was inconsistent, at best, last season and the team didn't make any major moves to shake up the position.
If Brown steps up and plays like the version of the 2018 version of himself or even the 2021 version of himself, he should be a lock to make the roster. Heck, even if he plays at the level he played at last year – which is OK – then he should make it.
But if Brown slips up and Calvin Anderson, who the Patriots signed over the offseason and played in Brown's place during spring practices, steps up, the roster spot of the 30-year-old tackle is in hot water. A team looking for a right tackle should be interested in him if that's the case.
2. Lawrence Guy
Lawrence Guy is the other notable veteran that had a curious absence from OTAs and minicamp this spring. It turns out that the defensive tackle was reportedly holding out of minicamp in order to earn a new deal.
Guy is in the third year of a four-year, $11.5 million contract, but it will be a surprise to see him potentially continue his holdout into training camp. He's been one of the respected people in the Patriots' locker room since he joined the team in 2017, earning multiple honors for his leadership and work in the community. He's also seemingly earned the trust of Bill Belichick over the years, too.
Now 33 years old, Guy isn't as depended upon as a player as he once was. He played 55 percent of the Patriots' defensive snaps last season, recording his fewest tackle total (46) in his six seasons with the team. As New England hopes for Christian Barmore and Keion White to grow and see if 2022 undrafted free agent DeMarcus Mitchell can make an impact this summer, it could be easier for them to move on from Guy.
I'd suspect that the Patriots and Guy eventually figure things out though considering his high standing among the locker room and the coaching staff.
1. Nick Folk
Prior to DeAndre Hopkins signing with the Tennessee Titans, I would've had Kendrick Bourne in this spot. But Hopkins is in Nashville, so there won't be any … Bourne ultimatum this summer (ba dum tss).
So, Nick Folk gets added here. His spot on the roster immediately became in danger when the Patriots selected Maryland kicker Chad Ryland in the draft. Not only was Ryland selected in the fourth round, but he's also the highest selection that Belichick has made for a special teams player during his tenure with the team.
And even though Ryland was the second kicker taken in the draft, you don't pick a kicker as high as you did and plan to bench him or put him on the practice squad in Year 1.
The writing is on the wall for Folk's departure. The 38-year-old was automatic on kicks from within 50 yards over his first couple of seasons with the Patriots. But his kicking tailed off a bit last season. He missed a couple of pivotal extra-point attempts in the Patriots' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals late in the year (granted, it was windier than normal that day) and was 10-of-14 on field attempts between 40-49 yards.
Folk is more likely to be released than traded. However, maybe a team feels urgent to fix their kicking situation before the season begins and doesn't want to have to sweat things out with a kicker in free agency.
Follow Us
Subscribe