Trade:

The Patriots have been wheeling and dealing and made their third trade of the day, sending the 7th round draft pick back to Seattle for DE Cassius Marsh.

The Patriots addressed their depth at linebacker and on special teams on Tuesday morning when it was announced that they traded a 7th round draft pick for LB Marquis Flowers […]

On Friday the National Football League announced the allocation of 33 compensatory draft picks for the 2016 NFL Draft, which will be held April 28-30. The New England Patriots received the maximum four compensatory picks: one in the third round, and three in the sixth round.

The Patriots trade for DL Akiem Hicks was a good one. He brings depth to the interior DL and has the opportunity to be a nice role player on the front seven

New Orleans’ trade of Hicks is not all that surprising when you consider his diminishing role in the defense as the Saints turned to rookies Tyeler Davison and Bobby Richardson in recent weeks. Hicks’ snap count dwindled from 68 percent in Week 1 to 44 percent in Week 2 to 43 percent last week in Carolina. The talented but inconsistent Hicks clearly had fallen out of favor with the team’s staff and brain trust. Still, his precipitous fall from grace is startling when you consider just 13 months ago he was considered a lynchpin along the Saints’ defensive front. The Saints have been in the market for a third tight end throughout the offseason. They have carried only two on the roster this season and desperately need to improve their in-line blocking at the position.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter , the New England Patriots completed a trade for second-year return specialist/receiver Jalen Saunders from the New Orleans Saints for a conditional draft pick.