NOT splurging at the trade deadline was a MASTERSTROKE!

[Steve102]

Your beliefs have proven out to be bias and useless so like I said fake news.

 

[Steve102]

It absolutely is a bias take.

They were still using Bill's grading system and just about everyone involved in the decision except AVP or lower position coaches were holdovers from the Bill regime most notably in the personnel department. All of that lead to Drake. Not to mention it's pretty roundly accepted that Drake was the best player on the board at the time.

But some Internet poster with a grudge found a quote so that makes it fact. Please.

What fekkin' grudge do I have? Jesus man.

 

[DarrylS]

In my brief time in the car today, it would appear the media's take is going to be that the Pats missed an opportunity to improve the team, and when someone goes down with an eventual injury, they will be tlhere to bring this out again.

Again, something over 90% of the players traded came from 5 teams. The Jets, Dolphins, Titans, Saints, and Browns, and 2 thirds of that market was closed to the Pats limiting their opportunities. There was just one player, some DLman from the Browns that MIGHT have been appropriate to go after, and a million reasons it didn't go down.

I am always amazed how fans get at the various trade deadline deals in all the major sports yet get so disappointed when the deals they do in their heads don't happen, and even MORE amazed how pissed they get when they don't happen just as they dreamed they would. Ahhhh Sports fans, hard to live with them, but you GOT to have 'em

You just confirmed why I choose not to listen to the nattering nabobs of negativity on sportstalk radio any more...
Each and every day they do their best to stir up non existent nontroversies to keep their interest and ratings up.
I prefer the old time stuff when Smerlas, DeOssie and guys like Michael Holley discussed the Patriots at least they seemed to know what they are talking about..

 

[mike_usagisan]

big holes?
really?
I think it is more "depth" that is currently needed, assuming injuries will happen.
where do you see "big holes" with this roster?

I think the offense is bailing out our pass D right now, but we need a good coverage LB and a safety. I think we need an EDGE. I think we could use depth for almost all the positions on defense. I am less concerned on the offense, though our depth at Oline is shaky and we could use some youth at TE. I think they like Rham now but would prefer an upgrade there. I think they would like to upgrade the WR room next year. And personally I would like to see a true FB.

There’s a big difference between being a frisky team on a good run and being a perennial contender.

 

[Tunescribe]

UTTER NONSENSE.

SEA, PHI and BAL got players who will help for reasonable prices.

There were also the trading of 6th and 7th round picks to fill holes at the bottom of rosters. For example, LAC picked up a backup OT.
============
I am NOT criticizing Vrabel. Perhaps no one was available to us at a reasonable price that would be upgrades to any at the bottom of the patriots' roster.

What qualifies as "utter nonsense" is belief that a trade-deadline golden ticket is simply there for the taking if you're willing to pay for it. I wasn't talking about lower- mid-level help that certainly would've been welcome in New England. By that token it appears some here assume there was affordable, timely depth help available that the Patriots unwisely passed on and Vrabel lied in today's presser.

 

[Toofy]

Need to improve on this performance . 2025 was a step in right direction . 2026 needs to also be good like 2025.

 

[Zuma]

- A good coverage LB was a glaring need. I know everyone wants an Edge but when the QB is getting the ball out in record time with short passes, an Edge isn’t going to help nearly as much as an LB. In Vrabel I trust.

 

[Family]

Need to improve on this performance . 2025 was a step in right direction . 2026 needs to also be good like 2025.

Not saying any drafts were good, and I'm not looking that closely, but 2022 and even 2023, have many players still in the league starting or contributing.

2024 was a complete bust except for.... (which makes it a great draft for me even if it was a layup.)

 

[TheRainMaker]

The old age is getting to Jerry. For anyone that watch the Cowboys documentary on Netflix, it highlighted how Jones took the rug underneath the Vikings and fleeced them on the Walker trade. After Jimmy Johnson left, he struggled. Then Parcells stabilized that franchise only for it to be were it's at once he left. I think he made the right move trading Micah Parsons he's in the same situation as Garrett on the Browns - they are not enough to win with such a bad team.

The Colts trading for Gardner was Sonny Weaver esque which I'm seeing far too much in the NFL these days. How does he warrant 2 1sts, but Darrelle Revis doesn't? I'm not even worried about this trade and still think the Colts are going to start slipping.

 

[mike_usagisan]

- A good coverage LB was a glaring need. I know everyone wants an Edge but when the QB is getting the ball out in record time with short passes, an Edge isn’t going to help nearly as much as an LB. In Vrabel I trust.

I think there’s a good chance that’s our 1st round pick next draft.

 

[n1997y]

This graph does not include rookies but shows you what Vrabel was dealing with and how good the off season was. You can see why they are putting a premium on draft picks to try to build from within going forward.

I don’t see how this says anything about how good the off season was. It says nothing about when starters were acquired. It omits rookies which introduces a negative bias effect on the draft success rate.

Plus, on 9/1 the season hadn’t opened yet, so how did we know who were starters, other than sone flack’s guess?

I disagree with Bedard, it was *not* the reality today, when the Pats stood pat. It was the reality two months ago. Bedard had plenty of time to update it with rookie starters included, but that would not have made the Pats look as bad.

It’s a ******** hatchet job by Bedard.

 

[Zuma]

I think there’s a good chance that’s our 1st round pick next draft.

We need a good one for sure. The earlier the better.

 

[n1997y]

More ********. Plenty of time to update by including 2025 rookies that made the 2025 roster.

But again, that would make the Patriots look better.

 

[TommyD4207]

It absolutely is a bias take.

They were still using Bill's grading system and just about everyone involved in the decision except AVP or lower position coaches were holdovers from the Bill regime most notably in the personnel department. All of that lead to Drake. Not to mention it's pretty roundly accepted that Drake was the best player on the board at the time.

But some Internet poster with a grudge found a quote so that makes it fact. Please.

 

[mayoclinic]

I think there’s a good chance that’s our 1st round pick next draft.

Sonny Styles and Jake Golday say hi.

From Mike Renner at CBS Sports' latest top-100:

28. Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati. Golday has the rare combination of edge-rusher size and safety-level athleticism. He can do it all at the second level.

30. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio St. Styles is a former safety who kept getting bigger -- and somehow more athletic. His sideline-to-sideline speed is the best in the class.

Renner's 2026 NFL Draft Big Board: Top 100 prospects as a defense-heavy class forms and the QB picture evolves

Ranking the top 2026 NFL Draft prospects as defenders surge and QBs battle for position.

www.cbssports.com

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

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.

Tune I get what your saying
Hearing that locker room every week is addictive
They are a like a pack of wolves. Buying into the culture Vrabel is trying to ingrain in all of them
They are like one big family
First of all bringing in a big name right now would mean an overpay.
That is what this trade deadline suggested
But biggger than that was messing with the team bond
Once this culture is established and strong it will more than likely allow new additions half way through a season
A big name would demand snaps from someone who is right now beloved in the locker room
I believe with this new beginning for Vrabel with this team
It was more important to run with what he has and strengthen the Culture first
Why screw around with it

 

[Tunescribe]

Tune I get what your saying
Hearing that locker room every week is addictive
They are a like a pack of wolves. Buying into the culture Vrabel is trying to ingrain in all of them
They are like one big family
First of all bringing in a big name right now would mean an overpay.
That is what this trade deadline suggested
But biggger than that was messing with the team bond
Once this culture is established and strong it will more than likely allow new additions half way through a season
A big name would demand snaps from someone who is right now beloved in the lockhouler room
I believe with this new beginning for Vrabel with this team
It was more important to run with what he has and strengthen the Culture first
Why screw around with it

Assuming this is true, it's rare in professional sports and something as fans we should cherish.

 

[mgteich]

What qualifies as "utter nonsense" is belief that a trade-deadline golden ticket is simply there for the taking if you're willing to pay for it. I wasn't talking about lower- mid-level help that certainly would've been welcome in New England. By that token it appears some here assume there was affordable, timely depth help available that the Patriots unwisely passed on and Vrabel lied in today's presser.

So, the top 5 or so signed were waay overpriced and you weren't discussing the rest.

OK, I apologize for misunderstanding.

Perhaps, it would be useful to look at all the trades in past couple of weeks. Surely a few were waaay overpriced, IMO, Most were not.

 

[mgteich]

NFL trade grades: Evaluating every deal made ahead of the 2025 deadline

Lots of teams got help. I guess that we should be glad that BUF didn't get WR help.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Need to improve on this performance . 2025 was a step in right direction . 2026 needs to also be good like 2025.

Yup this piss poor draft performance is exactly why we ended up with back to back 4-13 seasons by the Patriots. When you piss away your draft picks by getting cute in the draft or just making bad choices, the roster talent level will become too low to compete.

It also didn't help that BB decided on the grand experiment of making Patricia an OC and then Kraft compounded problems by appointing a wet behind the ears rookie head coach who didn't know what he was doing.