FOXBORO — The NFL trade deadline is quickly approaching.
The Patriots have [until Tuesday at 4 p.m.](https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/10/29/patriots-mailbag-no-1-position-to-address-at-nfl-trade-deadline/) to [swing any trades](https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/10/31/callahan-what-i-expect-from-the-patriots-at-the-nfl-trade-deadline-and-more-week-9-thoughts/). The team has already dealt safety Kyle Dugger to the Steelers and defensive end Keion White to the 49ers, but they have not added a player via trade this season.
“I think what happens is personnel staff makes calls and they all have conversations as this thing leads up to it,” Vrabel said. “I would just say, continue to do our due diligence about what those may be and what those look like, and then make a decision that we think is best for us. That’s what I hope that we do. Until I hear otherwise, we’ll have conversations this afternoon, and nothing new to report. But just like everything else, figure out who’s available if they’re on a roster, if they’re not, do we need to get guys in here on the practice squad? Or how do we want to handle the roster each and every week?”
The Patriots’ biggest current needs are at outside linebacker and running back. After trading away White, the Patriots are shallow on the edge with Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson as starters and Anfernee Jennings, rookie Elijah Ponder and recent waiver claim Caleb Murphy serving as depth.
Jennings, Ponder and Murphy have all been healthy scratches at points this season. Jennings is a former starter for the Patriots, but he’s not viewed as an ideal fit in the current defensive scheme.
At running back, the Patriots currently have just two healthy option on the 53-man roster in rookie TreVeyon Henderson and Terrell Jennings, who was signed off the practice squad last week. Starter Rhamondre Stevenson is dealing with a toe injury, and the team also has D’Ernest Johnson, Jonathan Ward and Rushawn Baker on the practice squad and Jashaun Corbin on practice squad injured reserve.
Johnson, a seventh-year NFL veteran, was elevated off of the practice squad for Sunday’s win over the Falcons, but he only played on special teams. Henderson and Jennings combined for 90 yards on 25 carries, averaging 3.6 yards per attempt. The Patriots rank 25th in the NFL with 3.9 yards per carry, though quarterback Drake Maye has helped to elevate that number. They rank 17th with 112.3 rushing yards per game. Looking more analytically, the Patriots rank just 27th in EPA (expected points added) per rush, 27th in success rate and 24th in rush yards over expected per attempt.
The Patriots’ run defense has been excellent. They still haven’t allowed a running back to rush for 50 yards this season, despite facing off against players like Bijan Robinson, James Cook, Ashton Jeanty, De’Von Achane and Alvin Kamara. They rank 19th in sack rate, however. They’re 10th in pressure rate but 18th in average time to pressure.
The Dolphins traded edge defender Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles for a third-round pick Monday, so that deal takes him off the table. If the Titans are willing to trade with Vrabel, their former head coach, then edge defender Arden Key could be an attractive option. The Titans also have two running backs averaging over 4 yards per carry in Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. Vrabel was on staff when Spears was drafted in 2023.