New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick always has his eyes open across the league for talent.
The team made its third trade of the day on Saturday, as it already acquired the services of cornerback Johnson Bademosi from the Detroit Lions and wide receiver Phillip Dorsett from the Indianapolis Colts, as it swapped a fifth and seventh-round draft picks to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for defensive end Cassius Marsh.
Marsh was a 2014 fourth-round draft choice (108th overall) out of UCLA, who posted 17 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery last season. Marsh has been quite durable in his career, as he has appeared in 37 games.
In Marsh, the Patriots receive some much-needed depth at the defensive end position after cutting ties with the disappointing Kony Ealy, and losing rookie Derek Rivers for the season due to a ACL tear.
This trade marks the second between the Patriots and Seahawks this week, as New England sent cornerback Justin Coleman cross country for a seventh-round draft pick, which was in turn sent back to Seattle as part of the Marsh deal.
As noted previously, Belichick loves to implement players on his roster who offer versatility. In Marsh, New England is not just receiving a defensive end, but a guy that can produce on special teams. According to Mike Loyko, Marsh was on special teams for 79.2 percent of the snaps, something that more than likely the Patriots took an interest in.
