Because training camp is right around the corner, the Patriots will be getting a good look at the current roster and a chance to upgrade some of their weakest parts, the most dire of which appears to be their pass rush.
While the addition of Dre'Mont Jones is noteworthy, the loss of K'Lavon Chaisson will be felt, on top of questions surrounding Harold Landry's rehab from offseason surgery and the lingering uncertainty surrounding rookie Gabe Jacas, who remains unsigned heading into mid-July.
That should prompt Eliot Wolf to consider a trade to improve their defensive line, since the pass rush was a big part of the problem during last year's playoffs and Super Bowl run, and it doesn't seem unfair to suggest that the group hasn't been upgraded much over the past few months.
In that case, a player like Cardinals' Josh Sweat makes a lot of sense. The Pro Bowler has made it clear he wants out of Arizona, and the latest trade proposals from a few teams around the league suggest the Patriots could get a productive player at an affordable, desirable price.
It's more than enough proof that they're sitting on a potentially game-changing trade, and if they could get Sweat for the assumed price, there's no reason for Wolf not to inquire as soon as possible.
The projected trade price for Josh Sweat is too good for the Patriots to pass up
While discussing realistic trade offers pass rusher-needy teams could offer the Cardinals, Austen Bundy of FanSided includes three proposals that have the Cardinals sending Sweat to a new team for nothing more than a future third-round pick.
For a player coming off a 12-sack season, that feels like an absolute steal, and that's a price the Patriots should be more than willing to offer for a player who would raise their defensive ceiling for the upcoming season.
Sweat might not be a big-name player in the big scheme of things, as we know he's not a Myles Garrett or Maxx Crosby in the league, but that shouldn't deter New England from calling about what it would take to get a trade done because he could be the missing piece their defense needs.
If they're not interested in any of the remaining free agents, most notably Joey Bosa and Jadeveon Clowney, then trading for their next star is inevitably the way to go. Vrabel has claimed they are comfortable with the group they currently have and that maybe they're being overlooked, but passing on the chance to add a proven playmaker would be foolish after a season that ended with a Super Bowl appearance.
To keep that window open, they'll have to make some unexpected moves, and a trade for a player like Sweat would show they are taking their current situation seriously, just like they proved by acquiring A.J. Brown.
Sweat could be their next target, and it's difficult to believe that Patriots fans would be upset about the deal if it gets done.
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