The New England Patriots missed the postseason for the second time in three seasons. That is not all too surprising as they have had the impossible task of attempting to replace future Hall of Fame quarterback, Tom Brady.
Getting the offense back up to the levels they were performing at with Brady under center will take some time. For this current version of the team to win games, they need to continue relying on their defense to step up.
New England had yet another dominant unit on that side of the ball. They are lacking star power, proving that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The Patriots ranked third in ESPN’s defensive efficiency and were around a top-10 unit when it came to yardage and points allowed.
But, if there is one thing that this defense could use is a shutdown cornerback on the boundary. The team lost J.C. Jackson to the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency in 2022, which led to Jonathan Jones, Jack Jones and Jalen Mills handling things on the perimeter.
Lacking from that trio is size, which Jackson brought to the mix by standing 6’1” and weighing nearly 200 pounds. If the Patriots want to add that back to their secondary, they would make a run at Jalen Ramsey of the Los Angeles Rams.
Ramsey’s name has popped up as a trade candidate this offseason as the Rams look to get under the salary cap. He is the one player that would not only provide them with savings but bring back something of real value in a trade package.
What kind of deal could New England present to Los Angeles? As shared by Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report, a potential deal between the teams could be the Patriots sending the No. 47 and No. 108 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, along with a 2024 third-round pick, to the Rams in exchange for Ramsey.
Replacing the production of Ramsey won’t be easy, but with so many holes on the roster, the draft capital could be very useful for Los Angeles. Clearing some cap space would also help them maneuver in free agency to upgrade the talent on the roster.
For the Patriots, they get the kind of big-bodied, lockdown corner that they lacked in 2022. With the emergence of Jack Jones, New England could have their next dynamic duo in the secondary, something that has become the norm in recent years.