The New England Patriots were sitting in great shape at the trade deadline on November 4. They were on a winning streak, and things looked rosy. The logical thing to do was to beef up the roster at the trade deadline for a playoff run and more. Instead, they punted, and now their Executive Vice President of Player Personnel, Eliot Wolf, is trying to justify what in NFL terms is unjustifiable.
What the team did do at the deadline was unload a very good player whom they had misused for three years, Keion White. He was a top defensive tackle with loads of potential that three successive Head Coaches, including Mike Vrabel, used at the wrong position, defensive end. Now with Milton Williams on the shelf, White could have slotted right into his position seamlessly. He won't.
Wolf may be the titular head of personnel, but the real clout resides with Vrabel and his assistant, Ryan Cowden. Yet it was Wolf who was trotted out to try to justify a trade deadline debacle that just might cost a soaring Patriots team a chance to do remarkable things, just like the 2001 team unexpectedly did.
Patriots executive excuses trade deadline inactivity with silly comment
A Patriots fan has Eliot Wolf talking gibberish about why the team did nothing at the trade deadline other than subtract White, a solid player.
Eliot Wolf on the #Patriots not adding anyone at the deadline:
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) November 13, 2025
“I’m always frustrated when we’re not able to help improve the team… We made a lot of calls. We did a lot of work on that and ultimately, we just didn’t feel like giving up 3 [firsts] for somebody was probably the… pic.twitter.com/hmJpIKZVYT
"Making a lot of calls" and doing "a lot of work" equals nothing when no deals are made to add better players to a playoff-contending team (and more) at the trade deadline. Whether it's Vrabel (as suspected) or Wolf who's actually making the calls on trades, whoever it was missed the boat.
The playoff-bound Patriots will suffer as a result. The suggestion that it would have cost three first-round picks to improve the team is farcical. Are Patriots fans to believe that no player who could have upgraded the team could have been had for less? It strains credibility and frankly, is an insult to Patriot Nation, a fanbase that knows better and demands more.
No NFL team is perfect, and the Patriots needed help and flopped
The Patriots did nothing at the trade deadline, and Wolf's implication that it would have taken three first-round picks is foolish. The Patriots needed help at pass-rusher, as in sack-producer, and got none. They also could have used help at left guard, and got none. And with a plethora of injuries to the running back corps, an addition there would also have been stellar.
And, conversely, by jettisoning White for their familiar and oh so valuable customary sixth-round pick return (for a former second-rounder who, in this situation, actually could play defensive tackle very well) they weakened the team at the deadline rather than strengthening it. It was an exercise in dreadful personnel mismanagement.
Mike Vrabel has been a huge favorite since he was hired, and before. He's a top NFL coach and personnel evaluator. Realistically, it's Vrabel, who's ultimately in charge of the personnel operation, not the figurehead Wolf. Regardless, whoever did nothing at the deadline let the team and its fans down. No matter what happens, it was a big mistake, and hopefully, it won't be too costly.