- Total Trades: 5
- Average Grade: B- (80)
This page lists all the 2025 Trades for the New England Patriots. I’ve listed all of the NFL Free Agent Signing Grades here, which included the trades. Because I’ve begun posting polls for the trades, I thought it would make sense to list just the NFL trades here, so archiving the voting would be easier.
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October 2025 – Trades
Steelers acquire S Kyle Dugger from Patriots for swap of late-round picks
The Patriots have been busy upgrading their seventh-round picks into sixth-round selections. They initially did so with Keion White, and they repeated the action with Kyle Dugger. It’s unclear what New England plans to do with its arsenal of sixth-round choices, but I can’t wait to see the plan unfold.
Kyle Dugger is a former second-round pick who thrived in his first three years. However, he hasn’t been the same since Bill Belichick departed. He has been a mediocre player at best, and he hasn’t even started every game this year. It makes sense for the Patriots to move on from him. As with White, the only way New England is hurt by this deal is if it has lots of injuries at the position.
The Steelers really needed someone like Dugger, so he’s worth the price of moving down one round at the end of the 2026 NFL Draft. DeShon Elliott has been ruled out for the rest of the season, so Dugger is a fine replacement for him.
Grade for Steelers – A-
Grade for Patriots – B
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49ers acquire DE Keion White from Patriots for swap of late-round picks
I would have regarded this trade as a lopsided deal a year ago. Keion White produced five sacks for the Patriots in 2024, serving as a quality rotational edge rusher. At just 25 last year, White appeared to have a very bright future ahead of him. Why would the Patriots deal him just to upgrade their seventh-round pick into a sixth-round choice?
Well, it’s a year later, and this deal makes more sense. White has barely played this year, and he hasn’t done anything besides generate only three pressures on the quarterback. It’s astonishing that White regressed so much, but he has. Given that he was playing about 20 snaps per game, the Patriots won’t miss him very much. The only way this trade negatively impacts them is if they have a bunch of injuries at defensive end and suddenly need White.
As for the 49ers, they’re sorely in need of edge-rushing talent because of all their injuries. White won’t be a huge difference-maker, but he’s a needed body. Plus, there’s always a chance that Robert Saleh gets the most out of him.
Grade for 49ers – B+
Grade for Patriots – B
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September 2025 – Trades
Saints acquire WR Ja'Lynn Polk from Patriots for late-round pick swap
An important thing in life is to identify sunk costs and get rid of them. The Patriots have designated Ja’Lynn Polk as such. Polk was a second-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft, yet the Patriots are already abandoning him, dealing him to the Saints for a late-round pick swap. New England will get a 2027 sixth-round pick, while the Saints will obtain a 2028 seventh-round choice.
This seems to be a fine trade for the Patriots. Polk has shown them absolutely nothing and is out for the 2025 season with a shoulder injury. Moving up a round late on Day 3 will probably be irrelevant, but at least it’s something.
Though Polk probably won’t give the Saints anything, I like this trade for them. New Orleans is completely devoid of talent in most places and needs some help at receiver because Chris Olave’s career is in danger because of all of his concussions. It’s possible, though unlikely, that Kellen Moore will develop Polk into something, and it’s not like the Saints are really spending anything.
Grade for Saints – B+
Grade for Patriots – B
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April 2025 – Trades
Cowboys acquire QB Joe Milton from Patriots for swap of 5th-, 7th-rounders
I thought I was going to grade the Cowboys negatively for this trade when I initially heard about it. Dallas infamously acquired Trey Lance for a fourth-round pick, yet refused to give him playing time down the stretch last year when it was apparent that they wouldn’t be making the playoffs. Giving up another fourth for a similar player would have been foolish.
This trade, however, is much better for Dallas. The Cowboys will be giving up a fifth-round pick instead of a fourth, and they’ll be getting back a seventh from New England. That’s a much better deal for a young quarterback with plenty of potential.
With that in mind, the Cowboys won this trade. I don’t understand why the Patriots would settle for anything less than a fourth-round selection for Milton. The 2024 sixth-round pick has looked terrific in all of his appearances, albeit those made in the preseason and in meaningless late-season games. Milton is raw, but has loads of potential. Giving him up for a late-round pick swap is a very poor move. I just imagine what Howie Roseman would have done instead. He would have waited for a quarterback injury and then dangled Milton to that team for a fourth-round selection, or maybe even a third. The Patriots should aim to be much more cunning with their transactions.
Grade for Cowboys – A-
Grade for Patriots – D
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March 2025 – Trades
Saints acquire DT Davon Godchaux from Patriots for 7th-round pick
Giving up a seventh-round pick is not a huge deal, but I don’t understand why the Saints spent any resources acquiring Davon Godchaux in this trade. Godchaux is a 30-year-old defensive tackle who doesn’t provide any pass rush and struggles against the run. Players like him are a dime a dozen in free agency, so the Saints could have signed someone comparable without surrendering any draft compensation.
The Patriots are the “big” winners of this trade. Big being in quotations because the Patriots scored a seventh-round pick, so this isn’t going to move the needle very much.
Grade for Saints – D
Grade for Patriots – B
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