Why it wouldn't make sense for Patriots to trade a top pick for Hendrickson, McLaurin

New York Times

2 hours ago

With one final preseason game and seven days remaining before the New England Patriots cut 38 players and establish their initial 53-man roster, executive VP of player personnel Eliot Wolf added some intrigue on Monday, acknowledging the Pats would 'absolutely' be interested in trading for big-name reinforcements before Week 1.
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Wolf even said the Patriots would be willing to part with a first- or second-round pick in a trade if it made the team better, an exciting potential move for a rebuilding team.
And yet … with the Patriots less than three weeks from kicking off a season with good vibes and high hopes thanks to new coach Mike Vrabel, it doesn't make much sense for the Patriots to trade for either of the two biggest names potentially on the trading block right now: Washington's Terry McLaurin and Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson. (The odds of the Cowboys actually trading Micah Parsons seem so low it's probably not worth considering.)
Success for the Patriots this season isn't going to be defined by wins. They've been victorious in just eight of their last 35 games. Because of that, expectations are manageable for Vrabel in his first season. What matters more is that he builds a culture, he gets the team to play disciplined football and second-year quarterback Drake Maye takes a meaningful step forward. Those are the biggest factors in determining whether the 2025 season is a success.
Trading for McLaurin or Hendrickson wouldn't account for massive boosts in any of those areas, although each would cost quite a bit.
The idea is intriguing, of course. Wide receiver and edge rusher are arguably the Patriots' two biggest needs.
Eliot Wolf says the Patriots would be willing to trade away a 1st or 2nd-round pick if it was best for the team.
Worth noting with big names out there still looking for deals.
Patriots are at the top of the NFL in available cap space (if you care about that sort of thing). pic.twitter.com/5PgDrAMdRY
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) August 18, 2025
But trading for either of them makes more sense for a team closer to competing for a Super Bowl, not a Patriots team that isn't expected to compete for a conference title in 2025. The Pats have the money and cap space to improve the roster next offseason, and sticking to their guns now gives their young players a chance to make an impression this season. Maybe rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams plays great and lessens the need at that position. Maybe Keion White steps up as an edge rusher. Maybe K'Lavon Chaisson's strong offseason turns into a breakout performance. Or maybe rookie Bradyn Swinson looks like a Day 3 steal on the edge.
It's not just that trading for McLaurin or Hendrickson would cost a valuable draft pick, but more that the whole reason they want trades in the first place is because they want top-of-market money and multiyear deals.
When you have a quarterback on a rookie contract, like the Patriots do, that's the time to spend big on veterans to support the QB. But you'd ideally do that for younger players — i.e., not in their 30s — you'd be acquiring more than three weeks before the start of an important season.
McLaurin turns 30 next month, meaning his prime is probably behind him. Hendrickson turns 31 in December. If the Patriots were in a great cap position and had a roster likely to yield double-digit wins, perhaps one would make sense.
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But this late in the offseason, it can be difficult to mix in a new player, especially considering McLaurin and Hendrickson haven't been practicing. (McLaurin was activated off the PUP list over the weekend.)
A smaller move — like via the waiver wire next week — that brought in a depth linebacker, tight end or defensive tackle might make more sense. But Wolf insisted Monday that he and his staff would consider a trade for a big-name player.
'We're talking to all 31 teams and trying to do what's best for us,' Wolf said. 'I think those things are often a lot more complicated than the fans and some others would like to make you believe. But if there is something we think can help us, we'd definitely be open to it.'
As for why the Patriots would be willing to use a first- or second-round pick, Wolf said, 'Just doing what's best for the team. If there's a player out there we feel can help us, and it costs that, then we would do that.'
But at the risk of throwing cold water on the hot takes that resulted from Wolf's comments, the Patriots aren't likely to make a big trade before the season begins.
So far, the group of edge rushers has had some ups and downs, but the Patriots want to see what they have, especially opposite Harold Landry with White, Chaisson and Swinson all competing for reps. Their wide receiver corps isn't going to scare many teams and likely needs reinforcements next offseason, but giving a 30-year-old receiver like McLaurin $30 million a year seems unwise even with plenty of cap space to burn.
Wolf's comments were a bit surprising and at least left open the door for something more exciting. He could've easily said the Patriots are excited about the team they have, but that they'll do their due diligence on any potentially available player.
But even if Wolf kept the possibility open, it doesn't seem likely — or make much sense — for the Patriots to take a big swing on a high-profile trade ahead of Week 1.
(Photos: Jeff Dean and Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
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