Should Chargers outcome determine Pats' trade deadline approach?

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The New England Patriots have a decision to make with Tuesday's NFL trade deadline approaching. Do they bet on this year's team and improve at a position of need, or should they sell pieces to prepare for 2022?

Sunday's game vs. the Los Angeles Chargers could play a factor in the direction Bill Belichick and Co. decide to go in. A loss would bring New England to 3-5 at the season's halfway point. If that ends up being the result, would it still be worth investing in this season?

Perry: Five CBs the Patriots should consider before the trade deadline

Tom E. Curran, Phil Perry, and Matt Cassel discussed that question on a brand new episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast.

Patriots Talk Podcast: Should Chargers outcome determine Patriots' trade deadline approach? | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

"This is a team worth betting on at the trade deadline, even if they lose on Sunday," Curran said. "So, buyers or sellers? I say the Patriots should be buyers at the trade deadline."

Perry, who said earlier in the show he doesn't believe Sunday should be considered a "must-win" game for New England, concurs with Curran's take.

"If it's not a must-win, then yeah, I think you should be buying regardless. If I said it was a must-win and they lose, then I would say they should be sellers," Perry said. "But I don't feel that way. I feel like they are going to be in the mix here. They've added a little bit to the secondary already this week, maybe they can add a more game-ready piece. To me, that's the one place you would really be looking. But yeah, I would call them buyers."

Cassel makes it 3 for 3 on the Patriots being buyers at the deadline.

"I agree. This is a team that can compete and compete now," said Cassel. "They're ascending, as we like to say. They're not descending. So, to sell off some of the pieces of your puzzle while this team is starting to get better and they're starting to maybe find their stride, I absolutely wouldn't mess up the chemistry of this team at all. I would go out and add value to it by bringing in, like you said, a secondary piece or somebody else you think can go be a contributor or a role player on this team that can help you down the line."

Also discussed in this episode: How good is Justin Herbert? Why was Tua Tagovailoa drafted ahead of him? Re-draft: would you take Herbert over Joe Burrow? And assessing how the Patriots match up against the Chargers.

Check out the latest episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast on the NBC Sports Boston Podcast Network, or watch on YouTube.

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