Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - In an effort to bolster an injury- plagued interior of their defensive line, the New England Patriots acquired tackle Isaac Sopoaga from the Philadelphia Eagles just prior to the conclusion of Tuesday's trade deadline.
The teams will also swap a pair of late-round picks in the 2014 draft as part of the deal, with the Patriots sending their fifth-round selection to the Eagles while obtaining Philadelphia's sixth rounder.
Sopoaga, a run-stopping specialist who signed a three-year contract with the Eagles in free agency this past March, is in his 10th NFL season and totaled 10 tackles in eight games with Philadelphia. The 32-year-old joins a Patriots squad that has had some depth issues at defensive tackle, with five-time Pro Bowl honoree Vince Wilfork out for the season with a torn Achilles and fellow veteran Tommy Kelly having missed the last three weeks with a knee injury.
The native Samoan was a nine-game starter for NFC champion San Francisco last season and has recorded 226 tackles and 7 1/2 sacks over 132 career games. Sopoaga spent his first nine years with the 49ers.
Philadelphia will likely use a rotation of rookie Bennie Logan, Clifton Geathers and Damion Square at nose tackle following the trade.
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