The Patriots are taking on the Browns at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon. Be sure to tune in to NBC Sports Boston for Patriots Pregame Live at 2:30 p.m. ET, then Postgame Live immediately after the Week 8 matchup.
*****
With the NFL trade deadline just days away, the New England Patriots appear to be stepping up their efforts to make some moves to bolster their squad.
The team has already traded a second-round pick to acquire veteran receiver Mohamed Sanu, and they are also interested in a number of other pass catchers across the league. But another area of concern for them comes on the offensive line.
With left tackle Isaiah Wynn and center David Andrews out, the Patriots' blocking hasn't been as strong as it has been in years past. Right guard Shaq Mason has also been a bit banged-up in recent weeks, so the team's need for reinforcements is becoming a bit more desperate.
With that said, the Patriots may be exploring adding some help on the offensive line, and they could particularly look at adding some tackle depth. And according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the Patriots may be interested in bringing in a familiar face to help with that. Former starting left tackle, Nate Solder.
New England Patriots
Here's what La Canfora said about the possibility.
Some general managers I spoke to believe that the Patriots could end up re-acquiring Giants tackle Nate Solder, who was formidable for the Patriots but has struggled in New York on a huge contract.
This would make sense, as Solder's presence would solve some of the problems that the team has had on the left side with Marshall Newhouse starting. That said, the team would have to figure out a way to create the salary cap space to add Solder, so that could be an obstacle the team would face.
La Canfora also mentioned Trent Williams (Redskins) and Cordy Glenn (Bengals) as tackle options that could interest the Patriots. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has reported the Philadelphia Eagles could consider moving reserve tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai as well, so perhaps that would be a more cost-effective option for the Patriots.
It will be interesting to see what the Patriots do on the offensive line. While the team's receiver and tight end situation may be getting more attention, adding a quality player on the line could do a lot to better protect Tom Brady and spark a running game that has struggled so far halfway through the 2019 NFL season.
NFL Rumors: Patriots interested in acquiring these pass catchers>>>
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.