The Patriots' defensive line was one of the biggest reasons for the team's improvement from 2024 to 2025. Milton Williams was a marquee addition, Christian Barmore returned after missing all but four games the prior season, and the team found unexpected production from its depth.
Khyiris Tonga was a major reason for the team's 6th-ranked run defense during the regular season, while Corey Durden became a key interior pass rusher. Overall, the unit was excellent.
2026 will largely feature the same group. Tonga left in free agency, but the numerous reported attempts to re-sign him during the 2025 season suggest the team wouldn't mind adding more to the defensive line.
Following former first-round pick Vita Vea's trade request, the Patriots may have the opportunity to do just that.
Vea, 31, has been a force since entering the league in 2018. The two-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champion could be a tremendous addition to the defensive line, especially considering Drake Maye has only two seasons remaining on his rookie contract. Vea could help maximize the team's Super Bowl window.
3 trade packages the Patriots can offer the Bucs for Vita Vea
NE trades DT Christian Barmore & 2027 6th Round Pick to TB for NT Vita Vea
Trading away a younger player and a draft pick for an older player in need of a pay raise may seem confusing, but it could be exactly what this Patriots team needs to maximize their Super Bowl window with Drake Maye on a rookie contract.
New England lost Khyiris Tonga this offseason, leaving a hole at the nose tackle position. Josh Farmer and Eric Gregory could fill the role, but neither has extensive NFL experience. Barmore's production since he signed his four-year extension in 2024 has been largely disappointing.
The former Alabama defensive tackle recorded 64 tackles and 8.5 sacks in 2023, but has appeared in just 21 regular-season games since, with 35 tackles and 3.0 sacks to his name. Despite his size (315 pounds), he's a lackluster run defender, with a 25% missed tackle rate.
Admittedly, he's still worth a strong package in a trade as things stand, certainly a top-100 draft choice. He had a career-high 58 pressures last season, but his end product, as mentioned previously, was lacking.
Barmore has cap hits exceeding $23.5 million in 2027 and 2028, large figures for a player who hasn't reached the peaks he did before his health issues in 2024. Swapping Barmore for Vea would give Milton Williams the opportunity to rush the passer more freely with the ex-UW lineman's run-stopping efficiency.
Upgrading upon young talent
NE trades 2027 2nd Round Pick & DT Josh Farmer to TB for NT Vita Vea
The most likely trade for Vea does include a player like Barmore, but if Mike Vrabel and Co. want to add an elite run stuffer without giving up one of their top interior pieces, this could be an enticing package.
A second-round pick seems like fair value for Vea, as dealing a first-round selection for a 350-pound player on the wrong side of 30 seems like bad business. In an attempt to tip the scales in their favor, the Patriots send former Florida State defensive tackle Josh Farmer back to his home state.
The team traded up for Farmer in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he had a sizable rotational role at the beginning of the season, playing 17.2 snaps per game. He was placed on IR with a hamstring injury in December, and several defensive tackles performed well in his absence.
Cory Durden became a strong contributor, while Leonard Taylor and Eric Gregory also had important rotational roles.
If trading Farmer is what it takes to land Vea, it's a small price to pay.
Sending picks and cornerback help down south
NE trades 2027 3rd Round Pick, 2028 3rd Round Pick, & CB Charles Woods to TB for NT Vita Vea
The Patriots added another draft pick to their cache by sending Caedan Wallace to the Dolphins this week, and while they won't have a first-round selection in 2028, they have plenty of late-round picks that are sure to help them navigate the draft board in future years.
Giving up future selections is never easy, but when the opportunity to acquire a player like Vea presents itself, the team shouldn't hesitate. A pair of third-round selections isn't unreasonable compensation, though it is difficult to give up the opportunity of selecting two top-100 talents.
While the picks would be the centerpiece of the deal, Charles Woods is a nice sweetener. The 26-year-old spent 2024 with the Rams but signed with New England ahead of the 2025 season to offer depth.
He averaged 10.7 defensive snaps per game during the regular season, but would play 36 across a pair of playoff games, allowing one catch for 8 yards. He's not likely worth more than a late-round pick swap, but he'd likely make the Buccaneers' roster as a depth piece.
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