Patriots Could Reunite With All-Pro Free Agent After Hot Start
Patriots Could Reunite With Cornerback Stephon Gilmore The Patriots are currently 5-2 and comfortably atop the AFC East, but that’s mostly due to Maye and the offense. While the defense isn’t an active liability, there’s certainly room for improvement. As of this posting, the team ranks 15th in EPA/dropback allowed, which isn’t bad until you consider New England’s cakewalk schedule. They’ve been league average against a barrage of poor offenses, so will they be able to slow down an elite passing attack in January? New England’s biggest need is at edge defender, and they should pursue an upgrade before the trade deadline. However, there may not be a game-breaking talent on the market. Trey Hendrickson is the biggest name available, but Joe Flacco’s strong play might make Cincinnati unwilling to deal their star pass rusher. While they could pursue someone like Tennessee’s Arden Key, he’s not enough to fix the pass rush. With this in mind, New England could take an unconventional approach to fixing their pass rush by upgrading the secondary. Christian Gonzalez is a lockdown cornerback, and Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones have played well, but the depth behind them leaves a lot to be desired. With Gonzalez and Davis battling injuries throughout the season, Stephon Gilmore could provide the Patriots with some much-needed depth. By improving the coverage, New England’s edge defenders should have more time to get after the quarterback.
