The New England Patriots are 7-2, tied for the best record in the AFC through nine weeks. Drake Maye and the offense have taken a major step forward, but the defense is lacking in one department.
The Patriots rank in the bottom half of the league with just 20 sacks on the year. The team is getting after the quarterback and creating pressures, but sacks can be game-changing plays and huge momentum swingers.
The defense is still top-10 in yards per game and points per game, but adding an elite pass rusher could better the team’s chances of making a Super Bowl run. Trey Hendrickson is a former All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowler, and according to The Athletic’s Dianni Russini, the Bengals are still asking for a first-round pick in return.
Hendrickson and the Bengals engaged in a long standoff this offseason thanks to a contract dispute. The team eventually signed him to a reworked one-year deal, but that is far from a solution.
The Bengals’ chances at the postseason are slipping away. The team is 1-6 without Joe Burrow starting. If the team does not see a path to signing Hendrickson in the offseason, a trade could make sense.
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The 30-year-old has 74.5 sacks since the start of 2020. He led the league in sacks last season and has four sacks this year. He could change the complexion of the Patriots’ defense, but he would cost the team greatly. Not only would he potentially cost a first-round pick, but the Patriots would have to turn around and give him the contract he has been searching for.
The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. If the Patriots want to swing a deal for Hendrickson, the front office will need to hurry.
