Wide receiver Patriots were interested in gets traded into the division

After the trade deadline passed last season, word got out that the Patriots had been involved in potential trade talks with the Steelers for wide receiver Chase Claypool. Clearly, no deal was done, but Bill Belichick exploring potentially improving the offense piqued fans' interest.

Although he wasn't the game-changing receiver the team needed, it was still reassuring that the team was looking to give Mac Jones more weapons to work with. It wasn't surprising either that Belichick inquired about Claypool since he had spoken at length about him earlier in the year when the Patriots played the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

Now that the Patriots find themselves in somewhat of a similar situation as one year ago, and Claypool wasn't thriving with his new offense with the Bears, it seemed possible he could be on the move again, and Belichick could finally get a deal done. But that's no longer the case as of Friday morning.

After beating the Commanders on Thursday Night Football, Chicago announced they were trading the receiver and a 7th-round pick to the Miami Dolphins for a 6th-rounder in return.

It was the latest move the Dolphins made to improve an already stellar offense, adding another talented player the Patriots will have to account for in their week eight matchup.

It is an interesting decision for Miami to make, considering they already have two WR1s on the team with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. But an offense can never have too many weapons, it seems.

At the moment, it feels like another bad move for the Patriots to have to deal with since their secondary has been reset essentially with the loss of Christian Gonzalez. But the news that Jonathan Jones should return to action this week against the Saints, plus the addition of J.C. Jackson earlier this week, makes it a little less polarizing than it could be.