The New England Patriots spent Tuesday reshaping their depth chart, first shipping edge rusher Keion White to the 49ers, then sending safety Kyle Dugger to the Steelers for 2026 late-round capital. Dugger lost his starting role in Mike Vrabel’s new scheme, Pittsburgh needs help after the DeShon Elliott injury, and New England keeps stacking picks while trusting a defense that has carried them most weeks.
Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, and as an NFL rumor, the Patriots made two trades Tuesday and might not be done. Adding a pass rusher is a potential option for New England, which sent safety Kyle Dugger to Pittsburgh and defensive end Keion White to San Francisco. New England will gauge the market for availability. Right now, the plan is to keep veteran rusher Anfernee Jennings, who was a trade candidate in the preseason.
Read between the lines, again, as an NFL rumor, and you see a front office threading a needle. Vrabel and personnel chief Eliot Wolf are gathering inexpensive darts without punting on 2025, which explains holding Jennings while exploring external rush help.
The defense has stayed sound on early downs, but the four-man rush has lacked a consistent closer, and New England’s recent moves suggest they will take a look at short-term, rotational pressure additions if the price aligns with the new timeline.
A pass rusher rental would also fit the pattern of scheme flexibility under Vrabel. Multiple fronts, simulated pressure, and games inside have created some free runners, yet there is still value in adding a true edge that can win with speed to power and shorten third downs.
Given the day’s activity, the most realistic swing is a mid or late round pick for a veteran with expiring money, keeping the locker room competitiveness intact while preserving premium draft ammo.
Offensively, nothing about Tuesday changes the plan to bring a young core along. That is why the defensive recalibration matters. If the Patriots can manufacture one more impact rusher, they can keep games in the teens and low 20s while the rebuild finds traction, which is exactly how Vrabel’s best Tennessee units won.
San Francisco’s need made the first move easy to understand. With Nick Bosa out for the season, the 49ers acquired Keion White from New England for a sixth-round pick while sending a seventh back with White. White flashed with five sacks in 2024, then fell out of favor in 2025, and the 49ers are betting a change of scenery rekindles last year’s pass rush efficiency.
If New England does add on the edge, expect discipline on price, a snap share role more than a headliner, and a continued commitment to Jennings as the in-house baseline.
