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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel
With the trade deadline just a few days away, teams are making final pushes to make rosters better entering the second half of the season.
The New England Patriots have made two trades ahead of the November 4th, 4 p.m. EST deadline, dealing away two defenders in exchange for draft picks and help with contract concerns.
It is unclear if the Pats will make any more moves before the deadline, but the door is never shut.
Before the start of the season, head coach Mike Vrabel said the team would be open to making moves that improve the roster. With four days left, New England could pull off a move to help strengthen their roster for a run in the playoffs.
Patriots Trade For Elite Pass Rusher
GettyLas Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby.
The Patriots spent over $200 million in free agency on the defensive side of the ball and have done their job. The defense is allowing the fourth fewest points per game this season at 18.3 ppg.
Yet, the defensive line has been a bit better than average this season, having sacked opposing quarterbacks only 19 times, which is in the upper half of the league.
With the trade deadline coming up, Sports Illustrated’s Mike Kadlick names the Patriots as a landing destination for Las Vegas Raiders star pass rusher Maxx Crosby to help boost their production in the defensive front four.
“New England’s defense has been dominant against the run through the first eight games of the 2025 season, ranking third in the NFL in run-stop win rate at 35% while having yet to allow an opposing running back to rush for more than 50 yards,” Kadlick wrote. “Despite bolstering one of the league’s top interior duos in [Milton] Williams and Christian Barmore, however, the Patriots haven’t had the easiest time rushing the passer, logging just a 36% pass-rush win rate—21st in the NFL.
“The Patriots just traded former second-round pick Keion White to the [San Francisco] 49ers this week, and while veterans Harold Landry III and K’Lavon Chaisson have done their best off the edge, Mike Vrabel and Co. could use one more star on their roster to not only get over the hump in the AFC East, but also potentially be a postseason contender in Drake Maye’s second season.”
Maxx Crosby In New England
Getty ImagesLas Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby
Maxx Crosby has been one of the better pass rushers in the league the last few seasons.
Over the previous four seasons with the Raiders, Crosby has recorded 42.5 sacks, earning him four Pro Bowl selections and becoming a two-time All-Pro member.
The defender has had a slow start this season for Vegas, logging four sacks so far. He is the biggest threat to offenses and will likely be the most double-teamed guy on the defensive front.
If he were to make his way to the Patriots, Crosby could have a bit more freedom against offensive lines. With Milton Williams and Christian Barmore disrupting the O-linemen, it will give Crosby more space on the edge to get to quarterbacks.
It would take a lot for the Patriots to get a player of Crosby’s quality. They would likely need to give up a first-round pick (or multiple) to acquire “Mad Maxx,” who is the heart of the Raiders’ defense.
The EDGE rusher also signed a three-year extension with Las Vegas earlier this year, which will earn him $106.5 million and clean up some cap space for Vegas to use in the future.
New England has the cap space and draft picks that could entice the Raiders to push for a trade, which will put the defender on a playoff team.
Jason Garcia Jason Garcia is a sports contributor for Heavy Sports who joined the team in 2025, covering the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. More about Jason Garcia
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