The New England Patriots are buyers at the NFL trade deadline after rattling off six straight wins and improving their record to 7-2 in head coach Mike Vrabel’s first season. However, the does not mean everyone on the roster is safe. You’ve got to break a few eggs to make an omelette.
That might be the case for former New England Patriots’ third round draft pick, Anfernee Jennings, who has been a starter for several years in Foxboro.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz broke the story at 4 PM Monday, just 24 hours before the trade deadline.
“Sources: While the #Patriots are in buying mode, one player theyâve been shopping is OLB Anfernee Jennings,” Schultz X post read. “Jennings started 30 games over the past two seasons but hasnât started a game this year under the new defensive staff.”
Anfernee Jennings Considered ‘Low-Cost Edge Piece’
The former National Champion at the University of Alabama has not really flourished in the NFL. Playing five seasons is an accomplishment no matter who you are, and he is certainly a linebacker capable of starting on several rosters. But he was drafted to get after the quarterback and he has struggled to do just that.
Last season was his best year as a pro, recording 78 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 16 games. In the three seasons prior, Jennings combines for only three total sacks.
He has become an off the ball linebacker, who is incapable of playing Mike and mostly used around the line of scrimmage. This kind of player is not exactly in high demand in this iteration of the NFL.
It is for this reason that The Sporting News’ writer Mike Moraitis says that he can be a low cost acquisition for a beat up team.
“One attractive thing about Jennings is that he’s under contract through 2026, so he could be more than a rental,” Moraitis writes. “And, he shouldn’t cost much, either, as he’ll likely garner a late-Day 3 pick or a Day-3 pick swap.”
What Can The Patriots’ Get For Jennings
I think Moraitis is right on with his appraisal of Jennings’ value. A sixth round pick would be highly valuable for what the Patriots have been trying to do over the course of this season.
As of right now, the Patriots control ten draft picks in 2026. Adding one more to this already astronomically high number would be a comically huge advantage for draft capital.
If the Pats can pick up another sixth round selection for a player that has made just eight tackles on the season, it should be considered a massive success.
Moraitis lays out some potential Jennings buyers.
“The Niners and Eagles have already made additions to their edge rusher groups with the trades for Keion White and Jaelan Phillips, respectively, but there’s no doubt the two teams could use more depth thanks to injuries,” he continued.
The San Francisco 49ers jump out to me as a favorite when you consider how active general manager John Lynch is in the trade market and the fact that they already employ multiple former Patriots.
“As of this writing, the Cowboys haven’t made any moves to upgrade their edge group that has been lackluster to say the least this season and Dallas needs both starting and backup options,” Moraitis went on. “The Lions have sported an effective pass-rush but are short on bodies behind Aidan Hutchinson and Al-Quadin Muhammad, so a trade for Jennings would make sense for Detroit.”
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