Patriots weigh receiver and edge help as deadline nears after 45-27 loss to Packers
At 5-4, the Patriots are reportedly looking for receiver and edge help before the Nov. 10 deadline, and Christian Barmore talk has cooled.
The New England Patriots reach the NFL trade deadline at 5-4, with the cutoff set for Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 4 p.m. ET. Recent reporting points to a team shopping for help, not selling. According to the deadline tracker from SB Nation's Pats Pulpit, published on Yahoo Sports, New England has not made a deadline trade yet. Its name keeps coming up in the wide receiver market, and edge rusher is reported as its main defensive target.
The tone around two veterans has also changed. Defensive tackle Christian Barmore was first described as available, and earlier reports said the Patriots wanted a fourth-round pick for him. Cornerback Carlton Davis was floated as another possible trade candidate. The newest item in the tracker says the team is not actively shopping either player, and that the front office is otherwise going about its normal business this week.
One receiver connection stands out. Colts wideout Josh Downs, now in his fourth season, has asked Indianapolis for a trade, and receiver-needy teams have reportedly called about him. Downs played college ball with Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. The Colts are in sell mode after firing general manager Chris Ballard, and they have already sent All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-rounder. That deal takes one rumored New England target off the market.
New England has been active all year. A.J. Brown, Jaylen Reed, Corey Kiner and Walter Rouse have all joined the roster through trades during 2026. The Pats Pulpit tracker also notes the club expects several players back from injured reserve. That gives the front office a choice between waiting for its own reinforcements and making another move before the deadline.
What it means for Detroit
Any addition would get its first test on Sunday, Nov. 15, against the Detroit Lions on Fox. The Patriots come in off a 45-27 loss to Green Bay, the second-most points they have allowed this season after the 35-6 defeat at Jacksonville. They are 3-2 over their last five games, and their season totals sit at 211 points scored and 207 allowed. That margin of plus-4 fits the up-and-down results: wins at Buffalo and Miami, but losses at Seattle and Chicago.
Detroit is favored. On Novig, one of 12 venues on this site's board, the Lions are -138 on the moneyline and the Patriots +135. The best Patriots moneyline price anywhere is +140 at BetRivers, so the venues are only a few cents apart on that side. The spread shows a bigger gap. Novig has Detroit favored by 2.5, with New England +2.5 at +111. Pinnacle offers the Patriots +3 at -112, which puts the key number in play depending on the venue.
The total sits at 51.5 on Novig, with the over at -100 and the under at -113. BetMGM is a half-point lower at 51, and Hard Rock Bet has the under at -110 at 51.5. Sportsbook hold ranges from about 3 to 5.6 percent across the markets. That high total reflects a Patriots defense that just gave up 45, and what New England does before Tuesday's deadline could change how this matchup looks.