Patriots could pounce on rare trade chance for dominant defensive game-changer

There has been plenty of speculation over the last few weeks about the Patriots' potential activity ahead of the NFL's trade deadline on November 4, both in terms of trading for and trading away players to improve their roster this season. Not much has been said about their plans directly from Mike Vrabel and Co., but more intriguing names continue to pop up that would be excellent additions to inquire about.

Most conversation has surrounded wide receivers and running backs, and while either position makes sense for the Patriots right now, adding a legitimate threat in the pass rush could be considered the best use of their league-high remaining cap space this year.

They now have a new potential trade target to call about, as NFL analyst and insider Trey Wingo revealed that the Raiders are receiving calls about the availability of EDGE Maxx Crosby. Although he only mentioned that the Cowboys have called so far, it implies there might be a chance that offers for the veteran could be considered.

That leaves the Patriots with no choice other than calling Las Vegas about Crosby, no matter what the cost might be.

The Cowboys certainly make the most sense, since they traded away Micah Parsons last month and now have an extra first-round pick that the Raiders would likely want in return. However, that doesn't mean the Patriots shouldn't seriously consider a trade for many reasons, especially since their defense could use him and his contract is pretty friendly, too.

If Maxx Crosby becomes available for trade, there's no reason for the Patriots not to make an offer

Among the more vulnerable groups on the current roster, the Patriots' pass rush could easily use the most upgrading. While Harold Landry III and K'Lavon Chaisson have been solid additions and have had some standout moments, their performance is not consistent enough to feel comfortable relying solely on them for the foreseeable future.

That's where a guy like Crosby makes sense. At just 28 years old, he is still in his prime and expected to play at a high level for years to come. This season alone, he has already recorded 28 combined tackles, 10 for a loss, nine quarterback hits, four sacks, an interception returned for 19 yards, five passes defended, and a forced fumble.

That kind of production is not something that can be replicated, and the Patriots could further boost their chances of a playoff run by adding him to their defense. It won't be cheap to accomplish, but they (at least) know they can take on his contract no problem.

What the Raiders will want in return is expected to be steep, and considering how good Crosby is, he's certainly a player worth investing in.

It's a position the Patriots were likely to address next offseason, but there aren't many options that could surpass what Crosby would bring to their team. So if this is their chance to add him to the team, they need to take advantage of it.

Updated reporters suggest the Raiders are not actively shopping Crosby, meaning the chances of him being shipped off are not in the Patriots favor. But it doesn't hurt to inquire, especially since Micah Parsons was traded and he was deemed off the table by the Cowboys.