When a team is looking to build something sustainable, frenzied trades are best avoided. It was a quiet Tuesday in Foxboro, and although conventional wisdom would suggest that the New England Patriots would be a lot more intentional with the NFL Trade Deadline, not a single move was made. It is a decision that former Patriot Rob Gronkowski fully supports, one that didn’t steer them away from their long-term goal.

“Every year, there is a lot of noise around big trades. But with the Patriots, absolutely nothing like that,” he said on the Up & Adams Show. “They were actually sellers. They got rid of a couple of players last week before the trade line.

“Clearly, coach [Mike] Vrabel is either satisfied with what they have, or teams were asking for too much and hoping the Patriots were desperate. And when people think you’re desperate, you should never make a trade. If that’s the case, I’m glad the Patriots didn’t make a trade.”

Without any trades, the Patriots have revealed a couple of things about themselves.

To begin with, they are sticking to their long-term plan, which is to build through the draft. They have 10 picks in the 2026 draft and would want to use that.

Next, the Patriots seem to understand that despite an impressive 7-2 record, they’re not just a couple of quick fixes away from a Super Bowl run. What they do seem to realize, though, is that they’re slightly ahead of schedule in what was meant to be yet another rebuilding season. 

So, Vrabel may believe he can do good with the current roster, and he has reasons to think so. The Athletic’s predictor gave the team a good chance as compared to any other team to make it to the playoffs. They also have a 60% chance to host a postseason game.

Plus, Rob Gronkowski was correct when he opined that the HC has full confidence in his team. “We don’t need any newcomers via trade. You’re the ones who should get to see the season through,” was the coach’s message to his side.

It was a big decision not to go after players like Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle, Jets RB Breece Hall, or Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson. After all, situations change quickly in the NFL. Just because a team had early success with a young QB and a promising coach doesn’t mean they will win later in the season. So, the Patriots run the risk of facing issues later after refusing to add depth, but part of the reason to stand pat was that they are also busy building a sustainable contender.

All that said, Vrabel is confident about their decision.

HC Mike Vrabel had the Patriots have a method to their madness!

After a quiet Tuesday, the coach had an interesting analogy to explain the team’s inactivity.

“I would say that deals are like being pregnant,” he started. “You either are or you aren’t. It’s either a deal or it’s not, so I don’t know how close you can be.”

In the days leading up to the deadlines, he explained that they were attempting to build a program with the help of a long-term approach. That vision remains the same, and winning this season is also part of their plan. 

“I think part of building a program is finding ways to win, building a team, and figuring out where the pieces are that we can continue to add that are going to make sense. I don’t think it’s a negative. This is just where we’re at.”

So, it goes without saying that Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is where they are currently focusing. Vrabel, too, confirmed this. The game is scheduled to take place at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, November 9, with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

The Patriots are riding a six-game win streak and have good momentum. But the Bucs will be coming off a bye week and will be rested. Who do you think will walk away with a win?