Trade Pitch Moves Bengals' Trey Hendrickson to Patriots
Trade Pitch Moves Bengals' Trey Hendrickson to Patriots originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Contract negotiations between defensive end Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals have been a staple of the offseason – and have played a part in offseason news cycles over the past few years.
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While Hendrickson continues to produce, the two parties have yet to strike a deal, even though the Bengals inked two of their biggest offensive stars, wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, to big-money extensions in March.
Trade speculation for Hendrickson has increased as contract talks have drawn longer, causing many figures in the football world to expect that a deal could be done. For the time being, NFL.com senior news writer Mike Patra remains in the camp that thinks a Hendrickson trade has a low probability of happening.
But he believes that, should the Bengals opt to trade Hendrickson, the New England Patriots could emerge as an ideal suitor, given their desire to take over the Buffalo Bills' top spot in the AFC East.
"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. Mike Vrabel could use a legit No. 1 edge to anchor his defense, and the Pats still have cap space," Patra wrote. "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."
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) reacts after sacking Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) during the first half at SoFi Stadium.Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The Patriots are not the only team that could benefit from Hendrickson's services, though. NFL.com analyst Marc Ross believes he should be dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles, while NFL.com columnist Jeffri Chadiha would like to see one of the Eagles' divisional rivals, the Washington Commanders, become more aggressive in trade talks.
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Hendrickson has quickly emerged as one of the top edge-rushing talents in the NFL since moving to the Bengals ahead of the 2021 season. Since then, he has earned a spot on the AFC's Pro Bowl roster each year and was named a First-Team All-Pro last year. He tied a career high of 17.5 sacks and made 43 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and 36 quarterback hits in 2024.
Over the course of his eight-year NFL career, which included a four-year stint with the New Orleans Saints, Hendrickson has 77 sacks, 220 tackles, and 14 forced fumbles to his name.
Related: Patriots Newcomer Assisting Linebackers Coach With Playcalling Duties
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
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