The future of star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson with the Cincinnati Bengals is up in the air, to say the least.
The two sides have been trying to hammer out a contract extension this offseason but haven’t been successful. In the process, the situation has gotten ugly, with Hendrickson voicing his displeasure with the Bengals publicly.
With Hendrickson holding out, and with there being no end in sight to the standoff with Cincinnati, there is absolutely a scenario where Hendrickson gets traded.
If Hendrickson is put on the trade block, Jordy McElroy of Patriots Wire wants to see New England make a play for him in a move that he believes would put the team’s defense “over the top.”
“The Patriots would greatly benefit from having a legitimate No. 1 pass rushing option on their roster. An elite playmaker like Hendrickson could put the much-improved defense over the top,” he wrote.
The Patriots have made several key additions to their defense this offseason, but there isn’t a true top-flight edge rusher on the roster. Harold Landry was a fantastic add for New England’s defense but isn’t someone that’s going to carry the pass-rush.
Hendrickson is a different story. After posting 17.5 sacks last season, Hendrickson finished tops in the NFL. And, his 35 sacks the past two seasons is also the most league wide.
Having an edge rush duo of Hendrickson and Landry would give New England one of the formidable pairings in the entire NFL.
Any trade for Hendrickson will probably start with a second-round pick, which the Pats have in 2026. New England also has a good enough cap space situation, both right now and beyond, to make an extension with Hendrickson work.
In a tough division and conference, the Patriots could use all the fire power they can get. Adding Hendrickson would give them just what the doctor ordered.
