2023 NFL trade deadline passes without Patriots making any moves

Despite the rumor mill working tirelessly the last few days, the New England Patriots ended up not making any moves at the 2023 NFL trade deadline.

Even though the team of head coach Bill Belichick was involved in some talks, and several trades were made around the league, nothing transpired at One Patriot Place before the trading window was shut at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. This means that New England’s roster will remain intact for the stretch run of the regular season.

This also means that the players rumored to possibly be on the move will stay put as well — a group including the likes of edge defender Josh Uche, wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, safety Kyle Dugger and offensive lineman Michael Onwenu. Likewise, the Patriots also did not make any additions to their current 53-man squad.

As a consequence of their inactivity, the Patriots have now not made a deadline deal in three straight years. The last such move was made in 2020, when wide receiver Isaiah Ford briefly joined the team.

That said, New England has already been quite active on the trade market up until this point. Just earlier this month, cornerback J.C. Jackson was reacquired from the Los Angeles Chargers; before that move, tight end Jonnu Smith, running back Pierre Strong Jr. and kicker Nick Folk were all traded away, with offensive tackles Tyrone Wheatley Jr. and Vederian Lowe being brought aboard.

While the Patriots did not join the fun on deadline day, several other teams did. In total, six trades were made on Tuesday — including two by New England’s Week 9 opponent, the Washington Commanders, who sent their top two pass rushers to Chicago (Montez Sweat) and San Francisco (Chase Young), respectively.

The NFL closing its trading window until next March also means that all players who are now released will be subject to waivers. Before the deadline, only those with less than four seasons had to pass through the waiver wire to enter free agency.