Report: DT Davon Godchaux Traded to Saints; Patriots Get 2026 7th-Round NFL Draft Pick

After receiving permission from the New England Patriots to seek a trade this offseason, defensive tackle Davon Godchaux reportedly has found his next destination.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Patriots have agreed to trade Godchaux to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round draft pick.

Godchaux is a Louisiana native and played college football at LSU, so Monday's deal represents a homecoming for him.

It was less than a year ago that the Patriots signed Godchaux to a two-year contract extension worth up to $21 million with $16.5 million guaranteed. He's scheduled to make salaries of $4 million in 2025 and $6.5 million in 2026, per Spotrac.

Over his four-year tenure in New England, Godchaux was a model of consistency and appeared in all 68 games for the team. In 2024, he recorded 67 total tackles while being deployed as a two-down run-stopping nose tackle.

Prior to joining the Patriots, Godchaux spent the first four years of his career with the Miami Dolphins, who selected him with a fifth-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft. He has career numbers of 429 tackles, 5.5 sacks, three passes defended, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

The Saints are coming off a disappointing 5-12 finish to the 2024 season. They ranked 31st in the league in rushing defense with an average of 141.4 yards allowed per game, so Godchaux's arrival should help fix one of their biggest problems as they try to bounce back in 2025 under new head coach Kellen Moore.