Bill Belichick rarely tips his hand before an NFL trade deadline.
This year is no different.
The Patriots are a weird group to evaluate ahead of Tuesday's deadline, as they neither are bad enough to sell nor good enough to aggressively buy. They are a middling team that has some positional redundancy but also could use some help in key areas, such as linebacker and right tackle.
Belichick was asked about the deadline during a Monday morning appearance on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show" and did what he normally does: direct the attention toward New England's personnel department -- which he acts like he's not a part of.
"I'm sure there are conversations that are taking place, have taken place," Belichick said, as transcribed by Boston.com's Hayden Bird. "At this time of year, I can't speak for the other 31 coaches, but I don't think there are too many of us that are actively involved in trade conversations.
"Most of that's done on the personnel end. Then if there's something that's maybe applicable then the conversation would come our way but I've been focused on the Bears and then certainly with the Monday night game, the short week going into the Jets, all of my attention and concentration has been on trying to prepare for the Jets."
Belichick added: "People in our personnel department, headed by Matt Groh, whatever conversations there are to be had with other teams, then those conversations are had on that level. If something comes up, then he would bring it to me and we would talk about it and discuss it with our personnel department, with ownership, and whatever else was relevant. That's really how I would say generally a process works at this time of year."
Belichick then addressed WEEI co-host (and former Patriot) Jermaine Wiggins' question about the buyers vs. sellers narrative.
"We'll see what comes down, if anything," he said. "I have no idea. I'm not sure about the buying/selling part. I mean I don't know how many trades (Wiggins) has made, but I think the bottom line is it takes two teams to trade."
Well, he's not wrong.
Thankfully, all trade-related questions about the Patriots will be answered by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
