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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen reacts to a play during second half action at at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Oct. 5, 2025. Besides him, New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings watches. Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Biggest Winners From Patriots' Quiet Trade Deadline

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Ethan Hurwitz | Last updated Nov 5, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The New England Patriots are among the NFL's elite nine games into the season, so that must mean they're going to heavy buyers during the Nov. 4 trade deadline, right? Right?

No. The Patriots were essentially sellers, moving off veteran defenders Kyle Dugger and Keion White for future draft picks and didn't move the needle for any additional players. It was an effort by head coach Mike Vrabel to put focus on the long term plans of this franchise, and not put every eggs into their 2025 basket.

"If something that we think is gonna help us now and in the future (comes up), then that’s probably something we should look at," Vrabel said during his weekly radio hit on WEEI prior to the deadline. "But I don’t think our 7-2 record is going to force us to do something or not do something.

"We have to look at everybody and understand how they can help us. We would have to do our homework on somebody. I don’t think that there’s a lot of guys with issues out there," Vrabel continued. "We never want to disrupt the locker room. We also want to bring in good players that we think could fit. Maybe they haven’t been around our program or we don’t necessarily know them, but we would still welcome them."

So the Patriots didn't add anyone new via trade, and some of the current members of the roster are set to reap the benefits because of it. Here's three Patriots who's stock has improved after the team's dormant offseason.

RB Terrell Jennings

Jennings has played in just four games this season and because of an injury to Antonio Gibson, he's found an uptick in snaps in the backfield. The Patriots were rumored to be interested in a number of running backs during the trading cycle, including Tennessee's Tony Pollard, New York's Breece Hall and Carolina's Chuba Hubbard, but no deal came to fruition.

This means that the team is comfortable with the running backs in the room now, which includes Jennings — who scored his first career touchdown in the team's win over the Falcons last week.

WR Kyle Williams

Another young player who's going to be given more looks as a result of New England's unwillingness to add. Williams hasn't been much of a factor in the Patriots' passing offense nine games into his career, and the rookie is already set to get a bigger role in a presumed absence of Kayshon Boutte following his hamstring injury and "day-to-day" designation.

The Patriots could have made a move for old friend Jakobi Meyers, who was shipped to Jacksonville for a pair of day three picks, but instead they added depth via the practice squad. They signed Brenden Rice — the son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice — and will likely attempt to utilize Williams more in the upcoming weeks.

LB Anfernee Jennings

The second of two Jennings on the roster, the veteran linebacker was one of the few players from the previous regimes expected to be traded away. Players like Jabrill Peppers, Dugger and White already found new homes, and it was reported by Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report that Jennings was being a name tossed around on the trade block.

When the deadline came and went, the former Alabama star remained in New England. With an already stout defensive front, Jennings could see a larger role down the stretch. He hasn't gotten that much playing time under Vrabel, but clearly the team wasn't willing to part with him just yet.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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