Bill Belichick: 'Less Than Zero' Chance Patriots Trade Into Top 10

Rumors have swirled over the last 24 hours that the New England Patriots will trade up into the Top 10 of the NFL draft. But the man who makes the final decision in the Patriots' war room, coach Bill Belichick, insists that there's no way he's moving up.

"I'll tell you this," Belichick said in an appearance on NFL Network. "I would say the chances of us being up in the Top 10 this year are less than zero. You're looking at that board. Who would I be trading up for?"

Belichick added that "the odds are good" that the Patriots will trade down from the No. 23 overall pick. And he also said the Patriots believe in drafting the best player available, rather than trying to upgrade a specific position.

As we all know by now, NFL coaches can't always be taken at their word when they talk about their draft plans. But in this case, I believe Belichick is telling the truth. The Patriots have become the most successful franchise in the NFL this decade in large part because they understand drafting strategy, and a major part of drafting strategy is avoiding the high salaries that highly drafted rookies receive. Don't expect to see the Patriots trade up.