default-cbs-image

Just ahead of the NFL's Nov. 1 trade deadline, the league's best team (arguably, anyway) made a deal to possibly upgrade its defense. Of course, it's the Patriots who are trying to salvage yet another former high draft pick.

According to ESPN's Field Yates and James Walker, the Patriots traded for Lions linebacker Kyle Van Noy. As Yates later revealed, the Patriots are also gaining a seventh-round pick and they're shipping a sixth-rounder back to the Lions.

The Patriots sure love testing out former top picks who haven't lived up to their potential.

When they traded away Chandler Jones this offseason, they not only gained a draft pick in return, but they also snagged offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper, the seventh overall pick in 2013. Cooper is no longer with the team.

They also acquired linebacker Barkevious Mingo from the Browns in August. Mingo was the sixth overall pick in 2013. To this point, he's appeared in all seven games, recording seven tackles.

As for Kyle Van Noy, he was a second-rounder back in 2014. He started all seven games for the Lions this year, but he hasn't been any good. He's notched 23 tackles to this point and he's Pro Football Focus' third-lowest graded outside 4-3 linebacker.

Still, the Patriots' weakness is their defense, so taking a chance on a player who excelled in college doesn't not make sense from their perspective. And if anyone can bring out the best in an underperforming defensive player, it's defensive genius Bill Belichick.

Meanwhile, in Detroit ...