1. A popular narrative this week when it comes to the Patriots is Sunday’s game against the Bills will decide if they will be buyers or sellers at Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. And why isn that exactly? With a win, the Patriots would improve to 3-4 and then a game next week against the Jets could move them to 4-4, but what is the true ceiling of this year’s team? Likely winning the AFC East, getting a good matchup the first week of the playoffs and maybe winning one game in the postseason. Even with an addition at the deadline, this team is not going deep into the playoffs. And then with a loss, they would be 2-5 and if they were to trade Stephon Gilmore or Joe Thuney, how much worse does that make the them? Not much. Cornerback is the deepest position on the team and the line has proven it can get by without multiple starters so far this season. And again, it’s not like this team is going to be making a deep run in January. Sunday’s game against the Bills should not impact anything over the next few days. If the Patriots get a good offer for Gilmore or Thuney, they should pull the trigger. If the Patriots can get a good wide receiver or tight end that’s under contract for more than just this year, they should do that as well. But, these deals have to be the right ones (aka. get good value). It’s not worth trading a player just for the sake of trading a player, just like it’s not worth adding a player just for the sake of adding a player. This is a very unusual Patriots season for a variety of reasons and one of them being the trade deadline is being viewed a lot different than it has in the past.
2. Bill Belichick had an interesting quote to Charlie Weis on Sirius XM NFL Radio where he acknowledged the team’s depth was limited this year by the salary cap, which is true. But what’s also true is Belichick and the organization contributed to that being true. The Patriots are essentially paying Tom Brady $13.5 million (dead cap money) to play for the Buccaneers this season, which is just over 6 percent of their total salary cap. Belichick is also leaving out poor drafting in recent years. The N’Keal Harry selection has obviously been discussed at length, but what about Joejuan Williams? The second-round pick didn’t log a single defensive snap against the 49ers last week. It's beyond these picks as well. The coach was 100 percent right when he said they were limited by the salary cap this season, but he also left out how moves he and the team made in recent years caused those issues.
3. With Julian Edelman undergoing a knee procedure and likely missing several games, some have speculated at 34 years old his career is basically over. Not so fast. Edelman is one of the toughest players ever to come through a Patriots locker room and he certainly can still contribute. Can he be the 100-catch receiver he was a year ago? Probably not. But just look what Danny Amendola did his final few years with the Patriots. Edelman can certainly be that if managed right. He’s still one of the most clutch receivers the Patriots have ever had.
4. Patriots running backs coach Ivan Fears was asked this week if he could see any of his current players as future coaches and he said James White could be a future head coach at Wisconsin, his alma mater. "Oh my god, a bunch of the backs. Rex and James White. No doubt about it,” he said. “I could see James White back at Wisconsin as a head coach. And Rex, yeah. I think those guys -- they enjoy what they do. They're really smart. They're really good with people. I think they're good with the press. I could see those guys, if they want to, taking that course. And Rex is really into training -- personal training type things -- no doubt I could see him, both of those guys being successful at it."
5. There was lots of weather talk this week even the forecast in Buffalo, especially when speaking with the Patriots specialists, and punter Jake Bailey gave some good insight into what it’s like kicking in the rain and wind. The second-year player said when it’s wet he makes sure to keep his hands wet so it is easier to handle the ball. Meanwhile, kicker Nick Folk said he will bring three or four pairs of cleats to keep his feet dry during the game.
6. When it comes to the AFC East, don’t sleep on the Dolphins. They are 3-3 and if they can get through their next two games against the Rams and Cardinals, there’s games agains the Chargers, Broncos, Jets and Bengals on tap so they could really climb the standings. Tua Tagovailoa will make his debut Sunday and it will be fascinating to see how he performs given how well Ryan Fitzpatrick has played to this point in the season.
7. The Patriots will get an extra day of preparation for their next opponent — the Jets — this week as the game is next Monday night at MetLife Stadium. It is the second straight year the team will take on the Jets on the road on Monday Night Football. In some other years, this might be a look-ahead game to their next opponent — the Ravens in Week 10 — but given all the struggles this year, there are no look-ahead games as every one the rest of the way matters.
