While the New England Patriots have put most of the finishing touches on their busy offseason filled with many moving parts, they could still be primed to take one more massive swing on one of the NFL trade market’s hottest commodities in recent months.
Enter Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, who could be a perfect target for the Patriots to target in the weeks leading up to camp and preseason in an effort to shore up their pass rushing concerns for the year ahead, and give this group a certified star on their front seven.
In the eyes of NFL.com analyst Kevin Patra, Hendrickson’s trade to New England is one potential move he’d love to see transpire ahead of next season, even if it may be wishful thinking to expect Cincinnati to trade their defensive centerpiece.
The Bengals are unlikely to be interested in moving Hendrickson, as that’s not how they roll. However, if there is a divorce, New England is a good new partner,” Patra wrote. “Mike Vrabel could use a legit No. 1 edge to anchor his defense, and the Pats still have cap space. Sure, they’ve shelled out a lot on D already this offseason, but they should continue to take big swings while Drake Maye is still on a rookie deal. Adding Hendrickson would get them a big stride closer to threatening the Bills’ divisional dominance.”
Unless the Bengals were able to get a solidified, worthwhile package in return for their star pass rusher, it’s difficult to see the traction truly generate on Hendrickson being shipped out ahead of next season as Cincinnati looks to make another title run, but if there was any suitor out there with the means to get a deal done, New England could be that destination.
The Patriots have essentially all of their own draft capital looking ahead to the future, over 60 million in cap space at their disposal per OverTheCap to pay Hendrickson his desired contract, and there’s the need for production in that front seven as one of the league’s worst pass-rushing units through 2024. That’s the exact type of trade partner Cincinnati could covet for their star defender.
During his last season with Cincinnati, Hendrickson landed his first All-Pro selection as the league-leader in sacks with 17.5, along with 46 combined tackles and 19 TFLs. Of course, that type of production on New England’s defensive front would be a gigantic get for the start of the Mike Vrabel era, and one to take the unit to another level.
As long as the asking price didn’t stand too steep, from New England’s perspective, taking the swing could make sense. Yet, from the Bengals’ point of view is where the situation gets a bit stickier, and could be what holds back the two sides from hashing out the deal.
Don’t hold your breath for a Hendrickson move involving the Patriots, but if there is, expect this defense and pass rush to take a major step forward in 2025, along with the hopeful strides across the entire roster.
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