Well, that went exactly as expected.
Given the consensus amongst the gridiron cognoscenti that the Patriots are one of the least talented teams in the NFL, are we shocked that other teams in the league weren't at all interested in New England's spare parts at the trade deadline?
Are we surprised they weren't buyers, as they're sitting at 2-6-0, in the basement of the AFC East, but not just their division but with the worst record in the entire conference?
What would've been the point?
Given the here and now, the Patriots need to focus on figuring out if there's anyone worth more than a Day 3 pick. That will, I'm sure, include Robert Kraft's assessment of HC Bill Belichick.
I don't know who the Jimmy Johnson of college head coaches is right now (Lincoln Riley?) but the parallels to Tom Landry's exit and the Cowboys' subsequent rebuild into a best of the decade's team are hard to ignore (even if there's a lot of wishful thinking going on there).
Remember: Everything ends badly, otherwise it wouldn't end.
If it was me (and it isn't and it shouldn't be), I'd be starting Tyquan Thornton, Demario Douglas, and Kayshon Boutte at WR, with a little Jalen Reagor (maybe). I know I don't want to keep DeVante Parker. If Kendrick Bourne hadn't blown an ACL he probably would've been traded. And every time I look at JuJu Smith-Schuster I'm reminded the Pats could've kept Jakobi Meyers for about the same money.
Not your fault JuJu (okay, you're partly to blame) but Patriots Nation hates you.
I'm torn about what to do at QB. I'm not sure if playing Mac Jones will raise or depress his trade value and I no longer think it's a controversial statement to say he is not the QB of the Future for the Patriots. I've already seen enough of Bailey Zappe. I'd still like to see Malik Cunningham start at QB, but I'm not sure Bill Belichick or Bill O'Brien would know how to run that type of offense (and that right there may be a clue as to why the Patriots cannot escape their own past).
Will Grier?
Give me the kids on defense. Marte Mapu, Keion White, and Kyle Dugger should lead the Pats in defensive snaps the rest of the season.
And…
Uh…
It just slapped me in the face (again) why the Patriots were neither buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. I don't even need all the fingers on one hand to count the young talent on the Patriots defense. To be fair, Christian Gonzalez is on IR and technically the thumb is not a finger and that would make four, but it's still a push at best.
The Patriots had nothing to sell and no reason to buy.
I've been saying the Patriots need a demo reno; just tear it down to the studs.
Maybe they already have.
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