6 players the Patriots should NOT trade before the deadline

The Patriots are in a unique position this season as the trade deadline nears, with the idea of them becoming big sellers seeming more probable than not. As they stare down the path of a difficult remaining schedule, Bill Belichick may decide to essentially throw in the towel and ship off the few valuable players they have on the roster.

There have been multiple rumors in recent weeks indicating that the Patriots' front office is already looking ahead to the 2024 season and hopes the team won't add many more wins this year to have a better draft position in the first round.

If that's an accurate report, Belichick may kick it into high gear before the trade deadline in hopes of piling up more picks as they appear to be headed for a complete roster overhaul this offseason.

Typically, when a team is in this situation, almost every player would be made available, no matter how integral they are to the current team. However, because the Patriots have some incredibly talented players, including some homegrown, at least six should be off-limits no matter what.

Even if the goal of the season is to sit as high up in the draft order as possible, some players have become pillars of the team and should not be dealt, as they can remain leaders of the team throughout the likely incoming changes.