The Patriots have a glaring need at left tackle. They have salary cap space to maneuver and draft capital available to be moved.
Why, then, were they not the ones trading for five-time Pro Bowl tackle Laremy Tunsil this week?
The Houston Texans sent Tunsil (along with a draft pick) to the Washington Commanders for a haul of draft choices that equate to a late second-rounder. For the Patriots, per the old Jimmy Johnson trade chart, what Houston received was about the equivalent of a New England third-rounder and fifth-rounder this year.
But the best answer as to why the Patriots didn't end up swinging a deal for Tunsil might be another question: Why was Houston looking to deal him?