Patriots Trade Former 2nd-Round Pick to 49ers Ahead of Week 9
The New England Patriots are in the midst of an exciting season as they sit at 6-2 heading into Week 9. The team is also in first place in the AFC East, so you’d think they’d be adding to the roster, not trading pieces away, right?
Well, the Patriots could still add before the deadline, but they are making some moves today. NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday that the Patriots are trading edge-rusher Keion White and a 2026 7th-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2026 6th-round pick.
White was a member of Bill Belichick’s final draft class in 2023. The team selected White in the 2nd round out of Georgia Tech, but he hasn’t quite lived up to that draft status yet.
As a rookie, White played in 16 games and collected 26 tackles, three tackles for loss, and one sack. In 2024, the defender played in all 17 games and ended with 56 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and five sacks.
However, with Mike Vrabel and his staff taking over this offseason, it seems like White fell on the back burner. The team brought in Harold Landry III and K’Lavon Chaisson this offseason, taking snaps away from White. Now, the former second-round pick will get a chance to revive his career in San Francisco.
The 49ers need reinforcements on the edge, so it seems like a great landing spot. The 49ers have Nick Bosa and Tarron Jackson on injured reserve, while Sam Okuayinonu and Yetur Gross-Matos also currently deal with injuries.
Meanwhile, the Patriots move up a round late in the 2026 draft and clear up snaps for younger players like Caleb Murphy and Elijah Ponder. It’s also possible the Patriots add a bigger-name veteran pass-rusher in another trade before the deadline. Either way, it’s nice to get something back for a player who clearly wasn’t in the long-term plans.
Cowboys Trade for Myles Garrett Just Got a Lot More Likely After New Report
A notable NFL insider has offered up a detailed explanation for why the Dallas Cowboys making a blockbuster trade for Myles Garrett in the next week is very realistic.
After the Cleveland Browns gave superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett a four-year extension worth $160 million earlier this year, it seemed even more likely that the six-time Pro Bowler would actually finish his career in Cleveland. Then Week 8 happened.
On Sunday, Garrett had a game of a lifetime as he posted five sacks against the New England Patriots. However, it meant nothing as the Browns were still blown out by a score of 32-13. Garrett was seen enraged on the sidelines late in the game, and speculation grew louder that he could push for an exit like he reportedly did earlier this year.
However, many around the game believe his massive contract would make a trade very difficult. But, according to ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano, that may not necessarily be the case. He admits that trading Garrett now would mean a big dead cap hit to Cleveland in the years ahead. But various teams have taken on bigger cap hits while getting nothing in return.
“That’s a lot of dead money, but it’s not even close to the record,” Graziano writes. “The Broncos took on about $80 million when they cut Russell Wilson last year, and they made the playoffs last season and look poised to do so again. The Buccaneers are still carrying Tom Brady’s dead money and they won their division every season. We see teams do this more and more as the salary cap continues to rise significantly each year.”
Cowboys could create perfect draft scenario for Browns in Myles Garrett trade
Along with that, Graziano added that there are two other key factors in a potential trade before the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline. First, Garrett has to want it. Considering the Browns’ long-term outlook and where he would go in the deal, waiving his no-trade clause shouldn’t be a big problem. But Cleveland also must get an offer that makes it worth taking on all that dead money.
Well, the Cowboys are one of the few teams that can make the sort of offer the Browns would want, and that is two first-round picks in April, according to Graziano. After the Micah Parsons trade, they will have two first-rounders in 2026, and following his exit, they still have a desperate need for pass-rushing help this season and beyond.
- Myles Garrett stats: 8 games, 10 sacks, 31 tackles, 15 tackles for loss
“Cleveland would be looking at the possibility of having four first-round selections in the 2026 draft,” Graziano wrote. “The Browns would be able to completely control Round 1 and come out of it with whichever quarterback they wanted. The acquiring team would have to pay Garrett a fairly reasonable $31.5 million in fully guaranteed money in 2026 and about $30.5 million in 2027.”
Based on those details, it sure seems like a blockbuster Myles Garrett trade for the Dallas Cowboys is there for the taking if the star pass rusher really wants out. Especially since the Browns could have a franchise-changing draft next year from what they could get in the deal.
