The New England Patriots have never been afraid to use the trade bock as a way to build their team. Here’s a squad that just recently dealt for Indianapolis Colts tight end Dwayne Allen.
Prior to that, New England moved starting defensive players Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins in separate deals over the past calendar year.
But this one particular trade should be considered a pretty big surprise. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, New England has acquired defensive end Kony Ealy from the Carolina Panthers.
Carolina trading DE Kony Ealy and a third-round pick to Patriots in exchange for New England's second-round pick, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2017
The deal involves Carolina moving up less than 10 spots on Day 2 of the upcoming 2017 NFL Draft. That’s a pretty small price for the Patriots to pay.
Ealy, 25, was a second-round pick of the Panthers back in 2014. He’s coming off a 2016 campaign that saw him record 32 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles. The Missouri product made a name for himself in Super Bowl 50 when he sacked then Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning three times.
Ealy was made expendable on Friday when Carolina signed future Hall of Fame pass rusher Julius Peppers.