The Patriots Did Nothing At the Trade Deadline

By Steve Atkinson 

The Patriots did nothing at the trade deadline except sign Brenden Rice to the practice squad. Meanwhile, the 7-2 Colts traded two first-round picks for Sauce Gardner, significantly improving their defense. While the Patriots didn’t need to make such a drastic move, they could have at least added depth to the edge rusher or offensive line positions. However, they have already secured two wins against the Jets, and I believe they will also defeat Miami. At worst, they could finish the season with a record of 12-5. Who would have predicted that?

This weekend, the Patriots face a tough matchup against the Buccaneers, and without Boutte, I’m not sure if they can pull off a win. Following that, there’s a quick turnaround with a game against the Jets next Thursday night. The Patriots started strong this past Sunday but struggled in the second half, and Drake Maye had some turnovers. Ultimately, a missed extra point was the difference in the game.

Yeah, first I’ve got to play better for this team down the road. I think it’s tough, it’s tough in a game where you win and you can feel in that locker room that these guys know we can play better.

I think it’s a good feeling to have, but also at the same time it’s tough to win in this league, so you’ve got to enjoy it. You’ve got to enjoy it. And Hunt made a big play down on the sideline, five-minute. Shoot, we didn’t want to make the defense make another stop for us again. And there’s so much things to learn from this game, and I’m just proud of this team for — it doesn’t matter if it’s 24-23 or 3-2. Proud we got the win.

The Patriots likely approached the trade deadline with the mindset of avoiding the loss of significant picks that could hinder their success next year. In reality, aiming for a deep playoff run every year is ideal, but considering their schedule, it seems favorable for New England to manage without making major moves. Even without Boutte, they should be able to secure wins against the struggling Jets, the disorganized Dolphins, and the underperforming Bengals.

Vrabel said on Monday

Nothing new to report, but just like everything else, figure out who’s available if they’re on a roster, and if they’re not, do we need to get guys in here on the practice squad, or how do we want to handle the roster each and every week?

There’s nothing to report on Wednesday either just getting ready for Tampa, which is injured as well so again does it matter what they didn’t do besides not add any depth? The schedule is favorable.