The Patriots are in a unique position this season as the trade deadline nears, with the idea of them becoming big sellers seeming more probable than not. As they stare down the path of a difficult remaining schedule, Bill Belichick may decide to essentially throw in the towel and ship off the few valuable players they have on the roster.
There have been multiple rumors in recent weeks indicating that the Patriots' front office is already looking ahead to the 2024 season and hopes the team won't add many more wins this year to have a better draft position in the first round.
If that's an accurate report, Belichick may kick it into high gear before the trade deadline in hopes of piling up more picks as they appear to be headed for a complete roster overhaul this offseason.
Typically, when a team is in this situation, almost every player would be made available, no matter how integral they are to the current team. However, because the Patriots have some incredibly talented players, including some homegrown, at least six should be off-limits no matter what.
Even if the goal of the season is to sit as high up in the draft order as possible, some players have become pillars of the team and should not be dealt, as they can remain leaders of the team throughout the likely incoming changes.
Rhamondre Stevenson
Although he doesn't appear on track to repeat his standout performance of last season when he recorded 210 carries for 1,040 yards and five touchdowns just on the ground, Rhamondre Stevenson has been everything the Patriots' offense has needed from a running back.
Since he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, Stevenson became a great addition to the backfield, playing alongside RB1 Damien Harris. He earned the starting role in 2022, primarily due to his bully ball style of play but also because of his massive improvement in the passing game.
His versatility set him apart from Harris, who had always struggled to be successful in that area, and since Belichick loves a running back who can be a dual threat, Stevenson's stock rose in the offense, and he was utilized far more than his rookie season.
His impressive performance that year propelled him to stardom, becoming one of the best running backs in the league, and created a lot of excitement for his third season this year.
Stevenson's rise kicked Harris to the curb in free agency earlier this year, and although three-time Pro Bowler Ezekiel Elliott was signed to the team in August, he was still listed as the starting back on the team and has played that way through six games so far.
Because he's already become such a vital part of the offense, it would be foolish for the Patriots to even think of trading him this year. Not only is he still expected to improve and develop into an even better player, but he's still on a rookie contract, and not costing the team much to keep him. He's a homegrown talent who has a lot left to offer and should remain in New England for as long as possible.
Josh Uche
One of the names circulating online as one of the most desirable for interested teams to trade for continues to be Josh Uche. The 25-year-old has slowly but surely climbed his way up the ranks in the Patriots' defense, with his 2022 performance cementing him as a critical piece of the team moving forward.
Uche's first two seasons in the league were unremarkable despite the apparent potential he had continued to display. So when he finally came alive last year, recording 27 combined tackles, 14 quarterback hits, 11.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles, it wasn't all that surprising to those who had watched him since he was drafted in 2020.
Much like others on the team this season, Uche has had a slow start, and after suffering an injury in Week 6 against the Raiders, will miss this Sunday's matchup with the Bills. It's a massive loss for the defense, who will also be down Keion White on top of the continued absence of Matthew Judon.
This would be a prime time for Uche to get back to his performance of last year, becoming the quarterback menace he started to become known for. Unfortunately, that will have to wait at least another week as he deals with an ankle and knee injury.
Although it should never be celebrated, the timing of the linebacker's injury may keep him off the trade block, especially since the severity of his injury is not yet known. Inquiring teams would almost certainly want him to be a contributor right away and not want to trade for a player who may be sidelined for the rest of the season.
However, like some other names on this list, Uche is being named as one of the more valued players the Patriots could receive the best return for if traded. That may be accurate, but if last season indicates what he can be on this defense, why move on from that now?
Kyle Dugger
Keeping with the idea that the Patriots should keep their homegrown talent, the same can be said about Kyle Dugger.
Besides earning himself the title of one of the most consistently productive players, Dugger has become the defense's secret weapon. His progression from an undervalued prospect out of a Division II school has been remarkable, and his improvements through the first four seasons of his career are the most noteworthy.
The last two seasons have proven that Dugger stands apart from others who play the position in the league, recording 170 combined tackles, ten tackles for a loss, four quarterback hits, seven interceptions with two returned for 155 yards and touchdowns, and 13 passes defended.
Although the start to the 2023 season has been slow for him, he's become one of the leaders on defense with the capabilities to help fill the void left by longtime pillar and recently retired Devin McCourty.
There's plenty of time remaining in the year for that to come to fruition, plus he has seemingly earned an extension as he's playing on the last year of his rookie contract. That should become a priority this offseason for Belichick, who has been building a dominant defense again in recent years, and Dugger's presence certainly adds to that moniker.
Much like teammates Jonathan Jones and Josh Uche, Dugger has been a prominent name speculated as one of the most likely to be traded over the next ten days. But unless the Patriots are completely sold on blowing things up, keeping Dugger holds more value than trading him for any draft pick.
Mac Jones
Contrary to popular belief, one of the players that should not be traded over the next two weeks is Mac Jones.
It's no secret that the quarterback has been struggling this season and, in some cases, has been much of the reason for the Patriots losing some games. However, because there are no other competent quarterbacks on the roster, especially ones that would put the team in a better position, it makes no sense at all to trade Jones in the middle of the season.
If a quarterback who had a bigger upside was waiting in the wings or had shown that he could outperform Jones on the field, perhaps they could explore a trade with a quarterback-needy team. But that's not the case with Malik Cunningham, Will Grier, or Bailey Zappe.
Some have argued that if Belichick and Robert Kraft have mutually decided that Jones isn't the quarterback of the future, then they should trade him now because it is likely when he is the most valuable. Although, to an extent, that makes sense, looking past the options to replace him provides a bleaker outlook for the rest of the season than just keeping Jones in.
Of course, the quarterback's future may ultimately come down to how the coaching staff and Kraft want to see the season end. There have been rumblings that some in the building want to see them tank the rest of the year to receive a better position in the draft. But that's just a rumor, and Belichick has never seemed like that type of coach.
So, if that were to be the end goal, shipping Jones elsewhere in the league seems like the way to ensure that happens. But if there is still some glimmer of hope to add a few more wins (at least) this year, there's no reason to move on from Jones halfway through the season.
Jabrill Peppers
As one of the best signings in recent Patriots history and by far the most physical member of the defense this season, Jabrill Peppers has earned the guarantee of remaining on the team the rest of the season, if not longer.
The losses of Christian Gonzalez and Matthew Judon were significant hits to the defense overall. Unfortunately, besides Peppers, who has seemingly awakened in the weeks since, the unit has been floundering in their absences.
Not only that, but the defensive back has also become an integral part of special teams, which has also not been performing well this year.
Despite it all, Peppers is on track to have his best season in New England, which is an impressive feat considering the circumstances. Plus, his value to the team goes beyond what he does on the field. He has become a vocal member of the roster, and his teammates have repeatedly credited him for that during games and in the locker room.
Fortunately, because Belichick has raved about the type of player that he is, that may work in Peppers' favor and save him from winding up elsewhere this season. On top of that, his versatility makes him incredibly valuable to a Patriots team that is dealing with a long list of injuries, allowing him to be moved anywhere on the field that benefits the team.
Jonathan Jones
As one of the players retained during free agency this year, receiving a two-year $19,000,000 contract to keep him in New England through next season, the assumption would seem that Jonathan Jones is safe from a trade.
However, with the recent acquisition of J.C. Jackson from the Chargers, who is in the midst of a five-year contract he signed in Los Angeles, and the emergence of Christian Gonzalez before his season-ending injury, it wouldn't be shocking to hear Belichick become more willing to move on from Jones a bit sooner than initially anticipated.
On top of that, Jack Jones, who was impressive during his rookie season last year and recently practiced with the team again after returning from injured reserve, and Marcus Jones are still on rookie contracts. That gives the Patriots four excellent secondary players who could step into Jones' role if the veteran is traded elsewhere.
The problem with all that is that heading into the Week 7 game against the Bills, Marcus Jones is rumored to miss the rest of the season. If true, he would join Gonzalez with that unfortunate news, making the cornerback room a bit thinned out.
Jonathan Jones is probably one of the more valuable players Belichick could choose to trade, as a reliable player who has proven he can be used all over the secondary and outperform all expectations. That makes him incredibly important to the currently depleted defense, which should be reason enough to keep him in New England.