Michael Roberts trade rescinded over failed physical
The Patriots and Lions canceled a planned trade that would have sent tight end Michael Roberts to New England in exchange for a 2020 seventh-round pick.
The New England Patriots‘ problems at tight end continue.
Superstar Rob Gronkowski retired back in March, leaving a swirling vortex of a talent void behind him at the position. New England somewhat surprisingly chose not to address tight end during the NFL Draft, perhaps finding their preferred targets just outside their value range every time they ended up on the clock.
Instead, the Pats raided the bargain bin of free agents and retirees, signing the oft-disappointing Austin Seferian-Jenkins, the little-used Matt LaCosse, the briefly-retired Benjamin Watson, and most recently: the Detroit Lions’ Michael Roberts, who largely spent 2018 as a backup option on a 6-10 team.
Of that group, only LaCosse now stands a chance of playing Week 1. Watson faces a four-game suspension to start the season, Seferian-Jenkins was released after missing OTAs and minicamp for mysterious “personal reasons,” and Roberts was sent back to Detroit just a day after the Pats traded for him because of a reported failed physical in New England.
Shortly thereafter, Roberts was ignominiously dumped by the Lions, and now he finds himself without a team to call home.
The Patriots were originally prepared to offer the Lions a conditional 2020 seventh-round draft pick in exchange for Roberts. Now, the team must once again pivot and consider its remaining options in an ever-thinning pool of possibilities.
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New England is expected to rely more than ever on a deep and diverse stable of talented running backs to make its offense hum. Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead, and James White all split time last year in the Patriots’ backfield, and they will be joined in 2019 by third-round draft choice Damien Harris from Alabama.
The Patriots also have a new rookie wide receiver in N’Keal Harry that could help make up for some of the lost production at tight end, assuming he learns the complex New England offense quickly and effectively.