As much as Bill Belichick didn't want to truly answer one way or another when asked on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show" on Monday, the Patriots likely will be (and should be) sellers at this trade deadline if the planets align correctly.
There's no one (realistic) move that's going to make them a Super Bowl contender in 2022, and they have an opportunity to shed some money and steal back some draft capital that can put them in a better position to build a strong roster next season by shipping some guys out of town.
They have a number of veterans on expiring contracts and at least one disgruntled employee that could serve as a good trade chips before the NFL's trade deadline hits at 4 pm ET.
Here are a few Patriots to keep your eye on as the clock ticks down.
Kendrick Bourne
The Patriots have reportedly received calls from teams about all their veteran wide receivers heading into the deadline.
It feels unlikely they'd trade DeVante Parker or Jakobi Meyers at this point unless they wanted to wave the white flag entirely on the season (too early for that), so the focus shifts to Nelson Agholor and Bourne as the two guys who might be odd men out.
Bourne's an attractive option because he'd still have a year left on his deal, and his contract is highly affordable. He's clearly underused in the Patriots offense -- his 54-snap outing Sunday might well have been a smokescreen for the deadline -- and could benefit from a change.
Parker's latest knee tweak could throw a wrench into those plans with the Patriots perhaps saying they need their receiver depth given the uncertainty surrounding Parker's health. His injury is reportedly minor, though, so maybe it won't matter much.
This much is clear: rookie Tyquan Thornton has already vaulted both Agholor and Bourne in the receiver pecking order, and neither look like they have much place here long-term anymore.
Agholor's contract will be tougher to move, and the Patriots might have to absorb some of that cost to make a deal there. It'd be comparatively easier to get a team -- say the receiver-needy Chicago Bears, who already swiped N'Keal Harry earlier -- to take on Bourne's money in its entirety.
That said, it wouldn't be a shocker to see either be on his way to a new team by Tuesday afternoon.
Isaiah Wynn
The former 2018 first-round pick is done in New England. It's just a matter of "when" it happens.
He's been replaced at left tackle and then benched at right tackle in the midst of his worst season as a pro, being reduced to 32-yard-old Marcus Cannon's backup and a swing man on the offensive line. To his credit, Wynn performed admirably at left guard in place of a struggling Cole Strange on Sunday.
Even that, though, might be somewhat telling: were the Patriots trying to show other teams what it would look like to put Wynn at guard, a position many thought he was better suited to coming into the league? New England might've just want to be put the best five men they had on the field to protect Mac Jones, of course, but it's something to consider.
Still, Wynn's $10.4 million fifth-year option would have to be dealt with. That's another contract the Patriots would hope another team might absorb part, if not all, of if possible to ease some of the dead cap on their books.
With the Patriots perhaps risking not getting any compensatory picks for their impending free agents due to having too much projected cap space coming up in 2023, they should at least try to offload Wynn. They don't have great depth behind him, but it's not as if he's making a big positive difference.
Damien Harris
Make no mistake: the Patriots could absolutely still use Harris. He's a good player, a hard runner and a strong presence in the locker room.
But there's no denying Rhamondre Stevenson has eclipsed Harris as the team's No. 1 running back and that this will soon be his show in the backfield overwhelmingly. The 2021 fourth-round pick is just as physical and explosive a runner with even more wiggle and acumen in the passing game.
Harris, therefore, probably won't find himself back on a second contract with the Patriots unless he took a major discount, and he shouldn't take that. Though the depth is a bit thin at running back behind Stevenson without Ty Montgomery healthy, New England should at least see what they can get for him.
The Los Angeles Rams have been sniffing around for running back help with Cam Akers being ineffective and injuries hurting their depth. Harris could come right in and provide a spark in that system.
If all else fails, he can keep on doing his thing right here until his contract is up.