The New England Patriots have been a mixed bag this season. But even after a tough loss, Mike Vrabel's team looks like it's trending in the right direction. They just need to get healthier and for A.J. Brown to get out of his own head.
The Patriots' pass-rushing unit has been surprisingly efficient this season. The 'surprising' part is that they don't have a bona fide superstar, and it's been more of a collective effort to put pressure at the line of scrimmage.
That's why, as tempting as it may sound to most fans to make a run at Maxx Crosby, one can only wonder if he's worth the hassle.
There might be more realistic (and cheaper) options available at the November 10 trade deadline.
The Patriots should consider a Maxx Crosby alternative
Let's start with the obvious: Maxx Crosby is a great player, and even though he's had a somewhat quiet start to the season by his standards, he's made every defense in the league better, including the Patriots' defense.
That said, the Raiders agreed to trade him this offseason only because the Baltimore Ravens were willing to give up two first-round picks. It's hard to believe the asking price has dropped, even though the Raiders struggled after a strong start to the season.
Crosby is 29, and the Ravens backed down from that deal because of his knee. He'll demand a new contract soon, so giving up that much to get him may not be in the Patriots' best interests right now.
He won't be the only premium pass rusher who might be available in the next few weeks. Guys like Josh Sweat, Khalil Mack, DeForest Buckner, or maybe even Jeffery Simmons and Vita Vea might be available at some point, though the last two might be out of the Patriots' price range.
As we've already seen, the Patriots are a thin team, so they should keep a close eye on the trade market. That doesn't mean they have to overpay for players who might be in decline just because of the name on the back of the jersey.
Crosby is a future Hall of Famer and a great player, but the Patriots have bigger needs to address right now, and those valuable picks can probably be put to better use to bolster the roster on November 10.
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