The Detroit Lions and New England Patriots have hooked up on trades before, and when it comes to Eric Ebron, that should be the case again.

That's at least according to ESPN Insider Mike Sando, who in a recent piece named the trades that should happen before the deadline this week. For the Lions, he thinks sending Ebron to the Patriots for a 2018 4th round pick is a move that should happen.

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Here's a look at what Sando wrote in the piece.

The Patriots have been in the market for tight ends on a regular basis, but their latest acquisition, Dwayne Allen, has not made an impact. Ebron is under contract to the Lions for 2018 at $8.25 million, the price Detroit committed when picking up the tight end's fifth-year option. He would improve the two-tight end sets New England has used to great effect over the years. The Patriots' receiving depth has taken hits with Julian Edelman out for the season, Danny Amendola nursing a sore knee and Chris Hogan suffering a shoulder injury Sunday. The Lions might realistically want a third-round choice. The Patriots might offer a sixth. We settle somewhere in the middle, while aware that the Patriots might need to get creative because their fourth-round pick could wind up with Philadelphia as part of the Eric Rowe trade.

Certainly, the Patriots might not mind this given the success they had in nabbing Kyle Van Noy from the Lions last season at the deadline, and the Lions might not either given the trouble they have had with Ebron lately from a consistency standpoint.

Reports say that Ebron is likely to be moved. It will be interesting to see where.