Patriots steal Sopoaga from Eagles

Scott Zolak, here's the beef you were asking about.

New England Patriots' coach and de-facto General Manager Bill Belichick has pulled out the scissors once again, clipping the coupon and purchasing 330 pound defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga from the Philadelphia Eagles in a deal that came in just under the league mandated 4:00pm trade deadline...

...and reminiscent of the weirdness of the reality show Extreme Couponing, Belichcik went into the basement at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and came out with a cart full of bargain beef - the coupon he had requiring only a 5th round draft pick in 2014, and in return the Patriots get a stout two-down run defender and the Eagles 6th round pick.

In other words, Belichick went shopping and, in the spirit of bargain shopping, got a potential run stuffer and a late round draft pick, with only having to give up a third day selection in the process.

That said, Belechick's profit margin stands to be significant.

The move is a boon to the perilously thin (pardon the expression) interior of the Patriots' defensive line - and while Sopoaga isn't in the same class as the injured Vince Wilfork in terms of - well - anything, he is a capable wide body that can take the handcuffs off of a front seven that had to scrap their entire philosophy to attempt to stop opposing offenses from running the ball down their throats.

Which was happening, but not at the rate that most folks thought.

Ranked 31st in the NFL in both rushing attempts and yards against, the Patriots are 22nd in actual yards per carry, 19 in total yards allowed but a sterling 5th in total scoring defense - equating to the "bend but don't break" philosophy of seasons past.

Sopoaga is not the second coming of Wilfork, but his presence may be just what the defense needs to get back to the aggressive, attacking entity that they were forming into before Wilfork went down in week four against the Atlanta Falcons.

In the past 12 months Belichick has taken two different teams for a ride, giving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and good friend Greg Schiano a 4th round pick for cornerback Aqib Talib and a 7th round selection on the 2012 trade deadline...

...then hosing Schiano again for running back LeGarrette Blount for the rights to Olympic sprinter Jeff Demps and the same 7th round pick he got in the Talib deal in a draft day trade this past April.