This is a VERY interesting Patriots Trade Development...

This is a very interesting trade development for the New England Patriots. DraftKings just put out a trade proposal that sends two of the Colts' best players to New England, a three-time Pro Bowl running back and the highest-rated guard in all of football. Those two names, Jonathan Taylor and Quinton Nelson, and the price is actually a lot lower than you think. But of course, there's always a catch, so today I'm going to break down this trade, the exact one that was put out there, why it's going viral, what the Patriots get, what they give up, and of course, which side might walk away from the table. And before we start, if you're new here, hit that subscribe button, because we're currently at 13,867 subscribers, and I want to try and get us to 14,000 before the trade deadline on November 10th. So let's get right into it and go right to the deal. The Patriots get running back Jonathan Taylor and guard Quentin Nelson. The Colts get running back Travion Henderson, a 2027 second round pick, and a 2028 fifth round pick. Now, of course, this is all a proposal. DraftKings put it out as a quote, who says no type thing. Nobody has reported talks, but the fit is actually worth talking about, because both of these guys could easily be moved at the deadline. On Monday, the Colts fired their general manager, Chris Ballard, and they're 2-4. And this week, ESPN's Stephen Holder reported that multiple teams have trade interest in Taylor. Jimmy Fowler reported that the rival teams believe the Colts will be open for business before the NFL trade deadline. And remember, last November, the Colts traded their 2027 first-round pick to the Jets for Sauce Gardner. So they don't have a first next year. If the season goes sideways, picks are what they really need. So if the Colts do sell, look at what's on the table. Taylor, Nelson, DeForest Buckner, that's three of the biggest contracts on their roster right there And Taylor, of course, he knows the noise is loud In fact, here's what he said on Thursday Quote, I haven't given it any thought I think it would be a discredit and a disservice to my teammates And this whole organization to think about what could and what should and what may be Meanwhile, the Patriots are 4-3 and a game and a half back behind Buffalo in the AFC East With the quarterback still, of course, on his rookie deal So, again, why would the Patriots want this? Well, because a move like this is about one thing winning right now, and the market already has a number on that. You see, on Cashier, the Patriots' win total forecast is at 10.4 wins this season, and a yes on 10 or more wins is at 59 cents. On Cashier, today's sponsor, you're trading directly against other users, not the house, like a traditional sportsbook. You're buying yes or no contracts on the outcome of real-life events across sports, politics, or even the weather. For example, I'm trading on the Patriots to win 10 or more games this season, and an $80 trade will win me back $129.20. If you're interested in trying out Kaoshi, our presenting sponsor, we've got a head start for you because if you use the link in the description or in the pinned comment and sign up with the code DIGESTNFL and then trade $25, you're going to get an extra $55 instantly added to your account. Thank you, Kaoshi, for sponsoring today's video, and go check them out. So let's look at first at what the Patriots are actually getting. Let's start with why they'd want it for both players. Patriots running backs are first averaging 3.9 yards a carry this season, which is 17th in the league, and they ran only 13 times for 44 yards against the Bears on Thursday. Meanwhile, in the offensive line, May was sacked twice and hit six times, and they've had four guards out at the same time. With Jonathan Taylor, he's 27, a three-time Pro Bowler, and he has 8,000-plus career rushing yards and 76 rushing touchdowns. And this isn't the first time his name has been in trade talks. In August 2023, the Colts gave him permission to look for a trade. He ended up staying and signing a three-year, $42 million deal. Last season, he ran for 1,585 yards, led the NFL in carries with 323, and in rushing touchdowns with 18, and in first downs with 84. This year through six games, he has 122 carries for 492 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. That's tied for the most in the NFL. Now, I'll be honest with you, he's averaging four yards a carry this year. The Patriots' backs are at 3.9, so he's not running away from anybody, but he has seven rushing touchdowns, and the Patriots' running backs have only combined for three. And of course, there's Nelson. If you saw our video on it earlier, you know the numbers through six games. PFF had him at the highest graded guard in the NFL at 89.2, and he hasn't allowed a sack yet this year. Plus, he plays left guard, which is the exact spot that Elijah Vera Tucker just left and went on injured reserve for. So while this isn't just a trade for a running back, you're going to be getting a guy who's been opening holes since 2020 alongside him. Of course, the question always becomes, well, is what the Patriots giving up worth it? Travion Henderson, let's start with him. The Patriots took him with the 38th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and as a rookie, he was solid 911 yards and nine touchdowns at 5.1 yards per carry. This year, though, it's been a different story. 52 carries for 203 yards and one touchdown, take away his 39-yard touchdown against Pittsburgh, and he's averaging just 3.2 yards per carry. And the big worry is, of course, his vision. Against the Bears, he played in just 13 snaps, and the Boston Globe pointed out it was the second straight week he didn't have a role in the fourth quarter of a close game. So let's put that next to Taylor's this season. Taylor had 492 yards to Henderson's 203, and seven touchdowns to Henderson's one. But of course, there's always the stat that hurts, and it's the fact that Henderson is still on his rookie deal through 2028. His cap hit is just $2.5 million this season, $3 million next year, and $3.5 million in 2028. Then the picks, a 2027 second and a 2028 fifth. Remember, the Patriots already sent their 2028 first-round pick to Philadelphia for A.J. Brown back in June. So this would be the second time in five months they've pushed future picks in for right now, which tells you how this front office sees the window they're in. And of course, the money always comes into play as well. Taylor signed a two-year $44 million extension in August. His cap hit is $16.2 million this season, then $21 million in 2027, and $23 million in 2028. Now at the deadline, a new team only takes on what's left of this year's salary. ESPN's Dan Graziano put Taylor's at about $5.3 million. SB Nation put Nelson's at around $8 million. And according to Spotrack, the Patriots have only $4.5 million in cap space. So the Patriots would have to clear room this year, and then they'd have to decide if they want a running back at $21 million next year instead of Henderson at $3 million. There is one escape hatch. Pro Football Rumors reported that Taylor's $15 million base salary for 2027 doesn't become fully guaranteed until February, so you could get out of it after this season, but then you give up Henderson and two picks for just one playoff run. So who says no? If you ask me honestly and unbiasedly, I think the Colts probably say no first in this deal. A report from Packers reports Easton Butler says the Colts are looking for a first-round pick and more for Taylor, and this week SB Nation's Colts writer valued Nelson at a 2027 third round pick on his own. So let's look at the math. Taylor alone, a first and more, Nelson alone, a third. Both of them together in this deal, a second, a fifth, and Henderson doesn't exactly seem like that's gonna be matching what the Colts want Now let's try and put this in perspective and compare it to a different trade. When the 49ers traded for Christian McCaffrey in 2022 at the deadline, they gave Carolina a second, third, and a fourth in 2023, plus a fifth rounder in 2024, all for just one running back. And the Patriots, they're a good team right now. So that second round pick probably lands them in the later part of that round, so basically kind of a third. And a team that already has gave away next year's first, that's not exactly a pick that fixes problems. Now, to be fair, there's always a case for the Colts. Taylor was a second round pick too, 41st overall in 2020. Henderson went 38th in 2025. If they still believe in him, they get a cheap back through 2028, and they get out of Taylor's $21 million and $23 million cap hits in the next two seasons. So would the Colts take it as it is? I don't see it that way, but never say never. And of course, the money does make the Patriots stop and think about this, because it's not like the talent is huge. It's paying a running back $21 million and $23 million for its age 28 and 29 season, while Drake may still in that rookie deal. These are the years where you want that money probably anywhere else. So ultimately, does this deal end up happening? No, probably not. But a smaller version of it is real. I think Nelson is the guy you try and go after and can work for both teams. A third round pick is negotiable and helps the Patriots while you also keep that kind of hope alive in Trevion Henderson, because if he can just figure out how to actually read a field, he's going to be a dang good running back. So would I do it? Probably not, to be honest. I really do want to believe in Henderson. I think there's just some sort of disconnect right now between him and the Patriots coaching staff, because if you look at college, he was a great run blocker. That's gone away in the NFL. And then if you think about his vision, there's got to be something in there that they can figure out. Now, ultimately, is it going to be as good as Jonathan Taylor? No, but you're also paying a significant amount less, and at the end of the day, I think it'd take you a lot more to go out there and get Jonathan Taylor, so I'm looking at Nelson and saying that's probably the best bet. However, I do kind of want your answer. In this trade, who do you think says no first? Comment P for Patriots or C for Colts. The trade deadline is November 10th at 4 p.m. Eastern, so just 17 days away from the day, so we'll keep you updated on all the trade rumors surrounding this team. For now, though, that's it on this video, and we'll see you in the next one. Peace out.