2. Jaelan Phillips
Moving back to edge defenders, the Patriots should consider targeting a division rival in Miami’s Jaelan Phillips. Selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Miami product looked like one of the league’s better up-and-coming talents in 2022. While he never quite recaptured that form, he remains a productive starter who could find success in a better scheme. Through eight games, Phillips has recorded two sacks, 21 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and six quarterback hits.
While the raw sack numbers aren’t anything to behold, it’s worth noting that Phillips’s 80.4 PFF pass rush grade is the 13th-best mark in the game. Even if the Patriots only use him as a situational runner, he has more than enough in his tank to justify a trade. Additionally, he’s just 26 years old and the Patriots could extend him if he plays well in a new environment.
