The NFL trade deadline is looming, and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick wants no parts in entertaining the rumor mill regarding his below .500 team. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore has recently found himself inserted in trade rumors ahead of the deadline.

When asked about the possibility of Gilmore not being apart of the team after the deadline, Belichick elected to resort to his usual bluntness during his Wednesday press conference.

Belichick is obviously aware that the Patriots are gauging the market in terms of Gilmore's value as they've done in the past.

Through six games, he's totaled only one interception while defending two targets. He hasn't been able to efficiently cover his targets as well, with four penalties through Week 7, which ties him with multiple players at ninth place for corners.

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While Gilmore isn't quite putting up the defensive front that he boasted last year, Belichick believes that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year can still be instrumental for the Patriots:

“Great. Great. Steph works hard,” Belichick said on Wednesday in regards to Gilmore's performances . “He's always ready to go. Changes up what he does based on our game plan, who we're matched up against, the team we're playing that particular week. He's a very flexible player that understands what we're trying to do and how it all fits together and works hard to do his part in it.”

The trade deadline is on Nov.3, giving Gilmore another chance to make his case as to why the Patriots shouldn't move on from him.

Though if the front office has already elected to go that route, Gilmore could simply be improving his trade value during his cameo in Week 8 against the Buffalo Bills.