Jerod Mayo all but confirms Patriots' standing ahead of the trade deadline

The 2024 NFL trade deadline is finally here and the Patriots have been considered one of the front-running teams to be buyers and sellers before it's too late. After they traded linebacker Joshua Uche last week, reports circulated claiming the team wasn't done making moves, with plenty of names popping up in rumors, but they are yet to make any more transactions ahead of 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Besides the inevitable speculation surrounding the players they might be willing to part with, like receivers K.J. Osborn and Tyquan Thornton or cornerback Jonathan Jones, there has also been a lot of talk about them looking to bring more players to the team.

The most obvious would be the addition of a left tackle, as the offensive line has continued to be one of their weakest groups on the roster. A few players could potentially be available, one of whom was already traded (Cam Robinson). But based on Jerod Mayo's comments on the trade deadline, it's fair to say they won't be making any big-time moves any time soon.

Jerod Mayo seems to confirm the Patriots won't be making any big-time trades before the deadline

Because they have the cap space to allow it and the roster holes that need to be improved, Mayo was asked about the upcoming trade deadline during his weekly appearance on WEEI on Monday.

Some have hoped that the new regime will engage in promising trades, whether shipping players out or bringing them in, with some speculation that a big move could be on the way. But Mayo seemed to put all wonder to bed by describing the trade deadline as just a "bunch of hype."

“I think first, this isn’t baseball. In baseball you have big-name players going to other teams. I would say, historically, even as a player and now as a coach, the trade deadline is a bunch of hype.

Who’s going to move a starting quarterback to another team right now? Who’s going to move a starting left tackle? I mean, it rarely happens.”

To be fair, he's not entirely wrong. One of their biggest weak points on the roster right now is their offensive line, and teams around the league will not be willing to part with their starters. Starting-caliber tackles don't grow on trees, so they tend to stay with a team for a long time, meaning there will be fewer opportunities for the Patriots to make a significant trade by this afternoon.

His statement, however, does not shut down the idea of trading some players away who could garner a decent return. The most notable remains Osborn, who was brought in to lead the receiving corps, particularly in Kendrick Bourne's absence, but he has made it clear that he's not exactly thrilled with the team so far.

Whether the Patriots ship him out will be interesting, especially when it comes to what they will receive in return. But it seems fair to assume that fans shouldn't get their hopes up about any major moves coming, as it looks like we will have to wait for the offseason for that.

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