The Patriots, it seemed, had an opportunity Tuesday.

They're tied for the NFL's best record at 7-2. They could use depth at a few key positions. (Edge rusher, running back and wide receiver come to mind.) They have plenty of cap space .

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And yet, Tuesday's NFL trade deadline came and went without New England making any deals .

Why the inactivity? Various forms of that question filled up this week's Mailbag. So let's get to answering them.

Editor's Note: Some questions have been lightly edited for clarity.

@Patsfan19838268

I get the frustration, Patsfan. There was certainly an argument there to be made that the Patriots should have been aggressive prior to the deadline.

Here's my understanding of the situa

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