NOT splurging at the trade deadline was a MASTERSTROKE!

[Tunescribe]

The message sent to the locker room by NOT trading for an expensive "fixer" or two will only further galvanize team unity. It's a ringing endorsement of the Diggs-coined battlecry, "We all we got! We all we need!"

Vrabel knows what he's doing in forging a winning culture for now and the long haul. By contrast, consider the Jete trashing team morale by shipping off their two star defenders while their star running back begged to be traded.

 

[mayoclinic]

Adding - not for an expensive "fixer", but for a long-term contributor who fit - would also have been a masterstroke, but not at hobgoblin Clown Show Posse prices.

Nice to have leadership with a clear vision and plan, and the discipline to follow it.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Wish we had added someone but I'm also good with team and culture building this season.

 

[n1997y]

“We all we got! We all we need!” Is a belief that can go a long way. It fosters accountability and diligence and team chemistry. Players believing in themselves, well founded confidence, is an essential element in their successful performance. Believing in their teammates, trusting the team, is likewise. Those are reasons that seemingly less talented competitors can win championships. Don’t sell this team short until they give good reason to do so. Being on a six game winning streak and still counting is no reason to count them out just because they made no splashy trades.

 

[n1997y]

Adding - not for an expensive "fixer", but for a long-term contributor who fit - would also have been a masterstroke, but not at hobgoblin Clown Parade prices.

Nice to have leadership with a clear vision and plan, and the discipline to follow it.

Well said.

 

[Rob0729]

Although I am definitely not upset that the Pats didn't use draft capital to pick up rent a players or overpay for a big name, I don't know if I would consider it a masterstroke. This is still a first year of a rebuild even if they are exceeding even most optimistic expectations thus far.

I think the best trades are still done in the offseason anyway. Yesterday was an outlier for big trades by the deadline, but I really didn't see anyone really traded that I thought the Pats really missed out on. I wish they got outside pass rush help, but the only players traded were players on teams that wouldn't trade with the Patriots.

The Pats are one or two good offseason from being a perennial top team and Super Bowl contender in the league. No use wasting draft capital this year to try to win it this year in year one of a rebuild. Washington did that and look where they are now.

 

[signbabybrady]

This can't be true the stroke masters around here say coaching doesn't matter

 

[n1997y]

This can't be true the stroke masters around here say coaching doesn't matter

Also well said. You guys are rolling today!

 

[JoeSixPat]

It's a good message to send to the team that "you're my guys" and that alone will pay dividends.

I was glad to see us pass on guys like Jakobi would be more concerned about being showcased as a WR in a contract year than accepting a "spread the ball" offense that results in fewer, but more pivotal game changing passes.

I am surprised to see us not do something at RB as injuries and the lack of a big bull of a RB for goal line/short yardage situations can be a BIG difference maker down the line when you are running down the clock with a lead.

But aside from that I'm just as glad not to be, say a Colts fan who now have to REALLY hope that Daniel Jones doesn't do what he did in NY once he got a new contract.

If that happens they don't have the ability to draft a replacement until 2028 at the earliest, and have tied up a ton of cap space between he and Gardner - who was already showing signs of not being worth his $120 million either.

 

[patfanken]

Although I am definitely not upset that the Pats didn't use draft capital to pick up rent a players or overpay for a big name, I don't know if I would consider it a masterstroke. This is still a first year of a rebuild even if they are exceeding even most optimistic expectations thus far.

I think the best trades are still done in the offseason anyway. Yesterday was an outlier for big trades by the deadline, but I really didn't see anyone really traded that I thought the Pats really missed out on. I wish they got outside pass rush help, but the only players traded were players on teams that wouldn't trade with the Patriots.

The Pats are one or two good offseason from being a perennial top team and Super Bowl contender in the league. No use wasting draft capital this year to try to win it this year in year one of a rebuild. Washington did that and look where they are now.

No I wish we could have traded to help our Edge rushing and perhaps S spot. But circumstances kept that from us. I think the guy the Ravens traded for would have been perfect for us. But he was a Titan and that wasn't going to happen. Just a fact.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

And if they added someone it'd be "showing they believe in this team by adding reinforcements for a run".

You can spin it however you want. They have to balance what they need now, how much they want to invest into this year vs. the future, what's available from other teams and what the cost is. Looking at the deals that got made, I don't see too much to gripe with.

Of the players moved, LB Logan Wilson (for a 7th) and EDGE Dre'Mont Jones (for a 5th) are the ones I kind of contemplate if we should have considering team need and price. WR Rashid Shaheed from NO was a guy I really liked for us but 4th and 6th feels heavy, heavy price for a rental that isn't the biggest need for us right now. None of the guys who were rumored to maybe get traded but didn't are worth blowing a team's doors off for.

 

[Steve102]

The message sent to the locker room by NOT trading for an expensive "fixer" or two will only further galvanize team unity. It's a ringing endorsement of the Diggs-coined battlecry, "We all we got! We all we need!"

Vrabel knows what he's doing in forging a winning culture for now and the long haul. By contrast, consider the Jete trashing team morale by shipping off their two star defenders while their star running back begged to be traded.

I don't think you're wrong, and I think @patfanken has a point that they need edge and S help, but culture is what he's building now. The short term fix by giving away assets to get help is short sighted. As others have said, there's a long term vision at play here. Now I think if they are 2 yrs into it, coming off an AFCCG loss, then maybe the play is different. Now, slow and steady wins the race.

 

[DC Patriots]

I’m ok with their moving along some bad contracts and getting anything out of it. I’m fine that they didn’t overpay for some of the folks moving. But let’s not try to spin not getting a trade done as a triumph

 

[mgteich]

We did what almost every competitor did, nothing. I don't how this is a masterstroke. We don't even know what trades were available.

SEA, JAX, PHI, BAL and IND chose to make trades to improve their teams. Vrabel may or may not have had equivalent opportunities and may not have taken them if available.

 

[signbabybrady]

I don't think you're wrong, and I think @patfanken has a point that they need edge and S help, but culture is what he's building now. The short term fix by giving away assets to get help is short sighted. As others have said, there's a long term vision at play here. Now I think if they are 2 yrs into it, coming off an AFCCG loss, then maybe the play is different. Now, slow and steady wins the race.

If we take a look at Vrabel's time in Tenn his best success was earlier in his time there. Did they make any deadline deals the year they made the AFC Championship?

 

[Steve102]

If we take a look at Vrabel's time in Tenn his best success was earlier in his time there. Did they make any deadline deals the year they made the AFC Championship?

I don't know, but I am sure you have the answer.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

I’m ok with their moving along some bad contracts and getting anything out of it. I’m fine that they didn’t overpay for some of the folks moving. But let’s not try to spin not getting a trade done as a triumph

But let’s not also pretend not completing a trade means Vrabs doesn’t think this team is a contender this year.

We’re 7-2 with our current roster. We may be good enough for deep run if Maye continues to play at a high level.

And I’m sure we worked the phone lines, and tried.

Takes two to tango, and we couldn’t find a dance partner. That in no way is an indication that we aren’t ready to compete today.

 

[Family]

This is a nice way to spin it or the message can be interrupted as we're not quite good enough this year.

I agree a major move wasn't the way to go with the degree of overpays, but I don't see how if they picked up someone's Dugger who fit our system better that there would have been a different message.

Players should feel the team is working to make it better.

 

[Bill Lee]

It's funny how some posters seem to think trade deadline is when great players are handed out like Christmas presents to other teams just because they want them.

Yes, we want more/better EDGE players, but so does almost every other contending team, and the non-contenders aren't letting them go cheap.

Yet if a WR1 or EDGE stud in waiting happened to fall to this team for late round draft picks Vrabel's message would have been totally different.

The reality is that trade deadline is a sellers market and some of the purchases end up being fool's gold (Sauce Gardner, I'm looking at you!).

 

[mike_usagisan]

I don't think you're wrong, and I think @patfanken has a point that they need edge and S help, but culture is what he's building now. The short term fix by giving away assets to get help is short sighted. As others have said, there's a long term vision at play here. Now I think if they are 2 yrs into it, coming off an AFCCG loss, then maybe the play is different. Now, slow and steady wins the race.

To me it's pretty clear that they realized the team has some big holes and they knew they were at least another offseason away. Could we win a Super Bowl this year? Sure, it's possible. It's not very likely and it doesn't make sense to hobble the rebuild by going after a couple of rentals. Slow and steady is what gets us to being a perennial contender.