The New England Patriots’ recent five-game winning streak hasn’t been without its share of drama. Head coach Mike Vrabel is back in the hot seat, this time for how he’s managing star defensive tackle Christian Barmore. Vrabel’s decision to bench Barmore for the entire first quarter against the Cleveland Browns raised eyebrows across the league. While Christian eventually returned and played out the rest of the game, Vrabel recently cleared the air about the same.

“It looked like you guys were hugging after the game. Is it safe to say because people will speculate that whatever happened is in the past, and you guys are moving forward?” Mike was asked during his appearance on WEEI 93.7 FM.

“Just like everything else that I do…whether that’s in life or whatever, we’ve moved on, we’ve addressed it, and there’s no issues moving forward with me or anybody else. I think that’s just how we have to operate, and I’m excited to get going today here with the corrections and get these guys moving on to the Falcons,” HC said.

Barmore, who signed a hefty four-year, $83 million extension last year, chose not to talk to reporters after the game, which only added to the speculation. Now, with that being clear, Mike also talked about something big. His latest comments suggested that we might see some roster changes coming soon.

It started when the hosts asked about rumors that New England could be looking to strengthen its defensive line, maybe even bringing in someone like Myles Garrett. Vrabel didn’t shy away from the speculation.

“I think we could try to always look to improve our roster. So whether that’s at every position, we’re going to try to look to improve any way we can,” he said. His message to Barmore and the rest of the team is clear: accountability comes before comfort.

And if that means bringing in new players to keep that competitive edge, the Patriots are ready to make a move. With the trade deadline approaching, Vrabel’s words and actions indicate a team that’s committed to finding the right balance between accountability and ambition.

Mike Vrabel keeps Patriots locked in before trade deadline

With a record of 6-2 after Week 8, the Patriots are in a great spot to make some moves before the trade deadline on November 4 approaches. When asked if the team is looking for a roster update, the coach had an answer.

“We’ll always continue to try to do that,” Vrabel said. “I would say that the players that are here, we ask to prepare as a starter mentally so that they’re ready to go. Then, as far as the roster, any opportunities that we have to improve it, whether that’s the practice squad or the 53-man roster, we’ll probably always try to do that.”

With just one game left before the deadline, the Patriots’ front office will have to decide if they want to make a move. But for Vrabel, the focus is sharper than ever on the Falcons as he eyes another win.

Whether New England will make a trade remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure: under Vrabel’s leadership, the Patriots are gearing up like true contenders, taking it one week at a time.