The Patriots will be playing another football game on Sunday. That alone is always reason enough to turn on the television.

Yet with the trade deadline looming early next week, and with trade chatter reaching a boil, it’s worth wondering if the 3-4 Falcons might look to sell off a piece or two if Sunday’s game doesn’t go their way.

Patriots insider Tom E. Curran raised that question with D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on the Patriots Talk Podcast. And while Ledbetter didn’t specifically report that players are on the trade block, he did piece together enough information to mention a handful of players who have the potential to be sent out of Atlanta before Tuesday’s deadline.

Tight end Kyle Pitts

“They could have extended him by now. They haven’t,” Ledbetter said. “They’re not going to franchise him at 15.8 [million]. So he’s a trade deadline candidate, just based on the contract.”

The 25-year-old Pitts was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft, but he’s yet to fulfill the promise after going over 1,000 yards in his rookie year. After an injury-shortened sophomore season, Pitts played all 17 games in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons, though he averaged just 635 yards and 3.5 touchdowns per year.

He only has 11 touchdowns in 68 career games, but at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, he certainly is still a weapon that defenses have to account for on every snap.

Pitts is playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, and with just 344 yards and a touchdown in seven games, he is a likely candidate for free agency in the offseason.

Running back Tyler Allgeier

“Running back Tyler Allgeier’s four years will be up, no extension for him,” Ledbetter noted. “So Bijan [Robinson’s] backup is a guy that somebody could look at as a quality running back to help them out.”

Allgeier went over 1,000 yards in his rookie season in 2022 but took a back seat on the depth chart to Bijan Robinson beginning in 2023. Allgeier has suited up for every single game of his career after sitting out Week 1 in 2022, and he’s averaged 4.3 yards per rush with 2,569 yards on 594 carries. This season, he’s already tied a career high with four touchdowns.

Two of those touchdowns were on short runs — five and six yards — but he also has a 15-yard touchdown run and a 21-yard score this season.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins

“Kirk Cousins is sitting there with all the money and the no-trade clause,” Ledbetter said. “But you know, that’s probably not going to happen.” But those are the three that, you know, kind of jump out at you as possible trade people.”

Probably not, as Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract prior to the start of last season. He’s thrown just 38 passes this season, having started one game and playing in two as Michael Penix Jr.’s backup.

For teams looking to add a 1A-type of quarterback either to provide insurance for an injured starter or to push the current starter for playing time, the 37-year-old Cousins could fit the bill. Figuring out the details could be a challenge, and with Penix battling an injury himself, Atlanta may not be motivated to make such a move.

Defensive tackle David Onyemata and linebacker Kaden Elliss

Ledbetter also noted that David Onyemata and Kaden Elliss are defensive players in the final years of their deals.

Onyemata is in his 10th season, after playing seven years with the Saints. The 32-year-old ranks 17th out of 128 interior D-linemen on PFF, with a sack and 23 tackles this year.

Elliss is in his seventh year after recording a career-high 151 total tackles last season. He has 1.5 sacks this year, bringing his total to 17.5 since 2022.

Also in this episode:

Major storylines ahead of Sunday’s Falcons-Patriots game

The scouting report on Michael Penix Jr.

Some background details on the Falcons’ interest in Bill Belichick last year

Irrelevant questions with Robert Spillane