The [New England Patriots](https://nesn.com/new-england-patriots) have been very vocal about the need to improve on both sides of the football, especially head coach Mike Vrabel.
Vrabel, who has done a great job throughout his career of getting the most out of guys, even said his team needed more depth before the regular season. There are only so many ways for the Patriots to do that, but with multiple players on the practice squad who could help in New England, some have suggested they poach someone from the Buffalo Bills.
One reporter recently suggested that Shaq Thompson, the 32-year-old former first-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in the 2015 NFL Draft who is with the Buffalo Bills' practice squad, could be a realistic option.
“After the Patriots agreed to sign DaQuan Jones on Friday, the question now is whether they'd also take the plunge with linebacker Shaq Thompson (currently on the Bills' practice squad). Jones and Thompson initially visited New England together on Aug. 18. Vested veterans who sign after Week 1 don't have their base salaries guaranteed, which is likely why the Patriots waited to make their move on Jones. Now we'll see if they do the same with the 32-year-old Thompson,” Mike Reiss [wrote](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/could-patriots-consider-run-former-175754365.html).
It's pretty surprising that a guy like Thompson isn't on an active roster, but there could be many reasons for that. Still, considering he's been a decent NFL player throughout a 10-plus-year career, it comes as a surprise that no team has been willing to take him off Buffalo's squad just yet.
This could be a perfect situation for the Patriots, however, and one they should consider.
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