The Patriots rarely let an NFL trade deadline pass by without making a big move, and with a need at receiver, the Pats may be targeting Colts star WR TY Hilton.
Hilton is on the NFL trade block just hours ahead of the Tuesday 4 p.m. NFL trade deadline as the Colts are going nowhere this season and Hilton recently spouted off about the team’s offensive line. According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, an NFL source with knowledge of the Hilton – Colts relationship suggested, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
The Patriots are an obvious landing spot for Hilton given that their top receiver from a season ago – Julian Edelman – is out for the season and Chris Hogan now looks like he could be out for an extended period of time. The Patriots offense is in a bit of a funk as it has averaged just 21.7 points per game in its past four outings. It’s clear that a banged up Tom Brady could use an extra weapon down the stretch, and Hilton were certain fit that bill. Hilton is on pace for his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season despite the absence of Andrew Luck at quarterback this season.
Colts GM Chris Ballard, who hasn’t even been on the job in Indy for 11 months has already made two trades with Bill Belichick and the Patriots, having sent tight end Dwayne Allen to the Pats for a fourth round draft pick and having traded wide receiver Phillip Dorsett in exchange for QB Jacoby Brissett.
Both of those trades have worked out well for the Colts so far as Allen has yet to catch a ball for the Patriots this season and Brissett has far exceeded expectations as the starting QB of the Colts.
The phone lines between Indy and New England are wide open now with Deflategate founder Ryan Grigson now in Cleveland, so expect Belichick and Ballard to have a few conversations in the coming hours.
