Copyright Heavy.
The Patriots are entering another critical point in their 2025 season this week, with an opportunity to win a sixth straight game as they welcome the Falcons–a wildly inconsistent bunch–to Foxborough on Sunday. Two days later, the team will hit the NFL trade deadline, and possibly add to a group that has been among the most pleasant surprises in the league this year. The deadline is usually a spot at which contending teams can pilfer an unwanted player heading into free agency to bolster the roster for the second half. Though the Patriots have the record of a contender, though, the brain trust at the top still sees this as a long-term rebuilding project. So any player the Patriots bring in is not expected to be in New England for a cup of coffee on their way to mid-March free agency. The Patriots still want to bring in players they see themselves keeping beyond this season. Patriots Want to Invest That’s the word from NFL insider James Palmer, who is half of the “Scoop City” podcast with Diana Russini of The Athletic. Appearing on NBC Sports podcast, “Next Pats” with Phil Perry, Palmer said that while the Patriots are expected to be buyers if presented with the right opportunity next week, they’re only going to buy and hold. Said Palmer: “I do think they’re going, ‘OK, maybe we’ve exceeded expectations quicker than we assumed … but we don’t want to rent anybody. Anybody we’re bringing in, we’d like to make sure they’re an impact player maybe for us in 2026 as well or perhaps past that. I think that might be what they’re looking at.” Patriots Aren’t Reacting to Record That is certainly consistent with the way coach Mike Vrabel has talked about his players and the process of rebuilding the roster, which he has pretty much torn down in the 10 months since he took over in New England. “We’re just going to continue to try to strengthen the roster each and every day,” Vrabel said this month. “Sometimes there will be small moves, maybe bigger ones. Jaelan Phillips Has Generated Interest The Patriots, for all their success this season, have played a very flimsy schedule, with opponents recording a mark of just 21-41. The team has been mostly healthy, though it is undergoing a wave of running back injuries that has shown how little there is, depth-wise, on the roster. New England is said to be chasing pass-rushers at the deadline, with Russini naming the Patriots among the suitors for Jaelan Phillips of the Dolphins. Phillips is a former first-round pick whose career has been marred by ACL and Achilles tendon surgeries. He has been healthy this season, though, and at 26 years old, could make sense as a low-risk addition who could be signed to a team-friendly extension.
