FOXBORO — Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said the front office tried to make deals ahead of this week’s trade deadline and simply decided it was in the team’s best interest to stand pat.

“I know that everyone worked hard, that we investigated, looked in, made phone calls and what personnel departments do,” Vrabel said. “And in the end, we decided that this was what we were going to do and decided to move forward with our preparation (for Tampa Bay).”

Sources said the front office explored adding edge rushers and running backs. Vrabel said the team’s hot start did not make it more difficult to sit back, before later emphasizing the Patriots are focused on winning and what’s in front of them.

“I think that’s part of building a program,” he said. “It’s finding ways to win, building a team and figuring out where the pieces are that we can continue to add when it makes sense. And so, I don’t think anything – I don’t think this is a negative. I don’t think this is – this is just where we’re at.”

At 7-2, the Patriots are tied for the best record in the NFL with the Colts, who traded two first-round picks and young receiver AD Mitchell to the Jets for former All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner on Tuesday. This spring, the Jets signed Gardner to a four-year contract extension, which should ensure he is in Indianapolis for years to come.

Last week, the Patriots got a head start on the deadline by trading safety Kyle Dugger to Pittsburgh and defensive lineman Keion White to the 49ers in a pair of pick-swap deals that shipped out a seventh-round pick with each player and netted sixth-rounders in return.

If White is active for at least seven games in San Francisco, however, the Patriots will keep their seventh-round pick, according to the NFL Network.

Barring future trades, the Pats will have 10 or 11 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft.