Patriots
“If around the league there are 100 trades being talked about, there’s probably four of them that will be made.”
Bill Belichick during the Patriots-Chargers game. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Bill Belichick joined WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Monday from Los Angeles for his weekly interview.
According to Belichick, the team celebrated the 27-24 win over the Chargers with a “good night’s sleep,” and will fly back to New England later in the day.
Here are a few takeaways from the discussion:
The controversial hit on Mac Jones.
Near the end of the first half in the game against the Chargers, Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was hit after the whistle by Los Angeles defensive lineman Jerry Tillery.
After a season’s worth of the weakest roughing the passer calls we’ve ever seen, no flag is thrown after Mac Jones gets planted way after the whistle. pic.twitter.com/NVXsE4ei5y
— The Big Lead (@TheBigLead) October 31, 2021
Patriots center David Andrews called it “kind of a BS play,” though it was not flagged as a late hit.
Asked for his thoughts on the play, Belichick responded that it was a subject for the league to consider.
“The league certainly made a lot of protecting the players and player safety and all that,” he reminded the show’s hosts,” particularly the quarterback. I think you’d have to talk to the league, and [referee] Ron Tobert, about that one.”
His thoughts on the Patriots at the trade deadline.
The NFL trade deadline is set to pass at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. With the Patriots back at 4-4 and on an upward swing, would New England be a buyer in the market?
“If there’s something that works for us and works for somebody else, then that’s a possibility,” Belichick acknowledged of potential deals.
“What happened yesterday will impact some of this too,” said Belichick. “There may be a team that might be interested or might be saying, ‘Hey, we would consider a trade for this player,’ and then somebody gets hurt and then this player is not available anymore.”
The timing of trades can come right down to the deadline, according to Belichick.
“I’ve seen it as late as Tuesday at noon on the trade deadline,” he noted. “A guy you’ve never even talked about and all of sudden you’re having a conversation about him at noon or one in the afternoon saying, ‘Alright, this could be a deal here.’”
“It’s very unpredictable,” Belichick added. “We’ve talked to all the teams in the league. We know some of the players that are available, but things will change. I’m sure they did change yesterday. And we’ll follow up on those and see what happens.”
Ultimately, Belichick knows that most of the trade talk won’t lead to anything substantive, but is prepared for the scenario where it might.
“If around the league there are 100 trades being talked about, there’s probably four of them that will be made,” Belichick explained. “So for me, I’m focused on the Carolina Panthers. If the personnel department comes and says, ‘Look, here’s something we should consider,’ then we’…….