New England Patriots: Trade for Dwayne Allen is Absolutely Brilliant

The New England Patriots snagged tight end Dwayne Allen from the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday in an absolutely brilliant move.

The New England Patriots have done it again. While most teams are too busy worrying about which high-priced free agent they are going to overpay next, the Patriots sneak in and make a fantastic addition to their roster for an extremely low cost.

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Ian Rapoport of NFL Network dropped this nugget for us on Wednesday afternoon, announcing that the Patriots have traded for tight end Dwayne Allen from the Indianapolis Colts. Rapoport later announced that the Patriots received Allen and a sixth-round pick from the Colts in exchange for a fourth-round pick from New England.

Going from the fourth to the sixth round, the Patriots dropped down about 60 spots in the 2017 NFL Draft. In exchange, they solidified arguably their most important offensive position outside of quarterback.

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Allen is one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL. He is fantastic as a run blocker and can certainly offer extra protection when Tom Brady drops back. On top of that, he has the athleticism to make a difference as a receiver. The newest Patriots caught 35 passes last season for 406 yards and six touchdowns. Allen has struggled with drops in the past, but he is a playmaker from the tight end position who is particularly effective in the red zone.

Adding Allen secures the Patriots tight end situation. They now do not have to overpay for Martellus Bennet on the open market. Bennett was great for the Patriots last season, but he is about to get a huge contract in free agency. Considering the Patriots already have the best tight end in the game in Rob Gronkowski, spending huge money on Bennett does not make a ton of sense.

Gronkowski obviously has a lot to do with this move as well. He is an athletic marvel and absolute matchup nightmare at the tight end position, but the Patriots cannot count on Gronkowski being healthy for the entire season. He is a major injury risk, so having a strong backup option is an absolute must. Especially when you consider how much the Patriots use their tight end.

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Allen is an extremely underrated player who the New England Patriots were able to get for an extremely fair price. Instead of finding tight end security in Bennett or a first round tight end, all the Patriots had to do is slide down about 60 spots in day three of the draft. This is a fantastic move by Bill Belichick and company.