With a 6-2 record, the New England Patriots are in first place in the AFC East. Head coach Mike Vrabel and quarterback Drake Maye are a match made in heaven and should guide New England to the postseason. Before January, the Patriots need to find upgrades at several positions. Ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline, here are three players that the Patriots could go after.
Philadelphia Eagles Running Back AJ Dillon
Patriots OC Josh McDaniels on running back depth, amid rumors the team could acquire a player at the trade deadline:
"I think we have all the answers we need."
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) October 30, 2025
The Patriots’ backfield is an enigma.
Vrabel has stuck with Rhamondre Stevenson all season as the team’s starting running back. Stevenson has 279 yards and three touchdowns on 83 carries. Stevenson has fumbled three times, and his 3.4 yards per carry is one of the worst in the league for a starting running back.
The Patriots selected TreVeyon Henderson in the second round of April’s draft, but the rookie has barely received a chance to show off his skills.
Last week, Henderson finally capitalized on his opportunity with 75 yards on 10 carries. Stevenson finished with 34 yards on 14 carries.
Regardless of your feelings on Stevenson and Henderson, the Patriots should look to bring in another running back, especially with Antonio Gibson out for the season.
Philadelphia Eagles running back AJ Dillon has fallen behind Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, and Will Shipley on the depth chart.
Adding Dillon as the Patriots’ short-yardage specialist could help the offense’s rushing attack.
Saints Wide Receiver Rashid Shaheed
Watch Rashid Shaheed reach his top speed 🔥
Fastest ball carrier of Week 5 (21.72 mph) @NextGenStats pic.twitter.com/9JvfjqKWUI
— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2025
Seemingly, every team that needs a receiver is looking at the New Orleans Saints to cough up Rashid Shaheed.
Because the Saints are 1-7 with a young team, trading away players like Shaheed for draft picks makes sense.
Shaheed is on a one-year deal and will look to cash in on a long-term extension in the offseason.
For now, Shaheed could provide a contender with a deep threat who can flip the field with his game-changing speed.
Shaheed has 39 receptions for 431 yards and two touchdowns. With the way Maye is throwing the deep ball, Shaheed could be the perfect fit for New England.
Saints Linebacker DeMario Davis
.@Jaboowins and @demario__davis are brothers forever ❤️@insidetheNFL Week 5 Mic'd Up on X pic.twitter.com/sJUrAsRirV
— NFL (@NFL) October 7, 2025
Speaking of the Saints, New Orleans also has an enticing player on the defensive side of the ball: linebacker DeMario Davis.
Even at 36 years old, Davis remains a quality football player. Davis is fifth in the NFL with 71 tackles.
Davis is a great linebacker and leader who could fit into any team’s culture.
Who better to pair Davis with than a defensive-minded coach like Vrabel?
