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In what turned out to be a relatively quiet NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, the New England Patriots made a very rare trade with their divisional rivals, the Miami Dolphins.
Miami traded wide receiver Isaiah Ford to the New England Patriots in exchange for a 7th-round pick.
Ford himself was a 7th-round draft pick, by the Dolphins in 2017. He has spent time on Miami's practice squad, and as a free agent chose to re-sign with the Dolphins earlier this year.
In his pro career, Ford has caught 41 passes for 428 yards without a touchdown. This season he has 18 catches for 184 yards; his best game so far was in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills when he recorded seven catches for 76 yards.
Ford is not a deep-threat receiver, but a reliable one when needed in an offense. As a collegian at Virginia Tech, Ford was an All-ACC selection who set school records for receptions and touchdowns in a single season.
NFL Trade Rumors: New England Patriots needed help at receiver
Considering the state of the New England Patriots' offense currently and with receiver Julian Edelman being put on IR due to knee surgery, this was definitely a big need for the Patriots. They are 2-5 and falling farther behind the Bills in the AFC East.
A quick look at their roster shows us that New England does not have any big threat receivers, which could also explain the lackluster performance from quarterback Cam Newton, and why he is constantly running the ball. More depth and potential playmakers at receiver can only be a good thing for Newton and for coach Bill Belichick's offense.
The New England Patriots' receiving corps that includes N'Keal Harry, Jakobi Meyers and Damiere Byrd hasn't been making enough plays. The New England Patriots have been dealing with injuries and absences among its running backs, including James White missing time after his father's death, and Sony Michel going on the IR with a quad injury.
If Belichick is open to giving Ford more snaps than he was given with the Miami Dolphins, it could open up a New England Patriots' offense that has been struggling for a very long time.
Quarterback Cam Newton has a new weapon to throw to now after losing Edelman (a former Super Bowl MVP) earlier this week, but fans should not expect big changes immediately and instead will likely see Ford being implemented gradually into Belichick's game plans.
