The New England Patriots have already made a ton of additions this offseason, hoping to improve a roster that was quite arguably the worst in football last year,
The Patriots have addressed all of their most significant weaknesses, ranging from their receiving corps to their offensive line to their pass rush.
In terms of the latter, New England ranked last in the NFL with just 28 sacks last year, so finding some players who could get to the quarterback was obviously a priority for the Pats.
The Patriots signed Harold Landry, Milton Williams and K'Lavon Chaisson in free agency and also drafted Bradyn Swinson, but is it enough?
Some are wondering if New England should add another piece to its front seven, and Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson has certainly been a popular name in that regard.
Hendrickson is currently at odds with the Bengals over his lack of a contract extension, which has resulted in trade speculation surging around the four-time Pro Bowler for some time now. But should the Pats actually make a move for him?
Honestly, the answer is no, as tempting as the idea may be.
Why? Well, because Hendrickson is already 30 years old and is angling for a very lucrative long-term deal. His age has caused Cincinnati to hesitate, and the Bengals are much closer to contending than the rebuilding Patriots. So why would New England go that route?
Hendrickson has proven to be a dominant pass rusher. He has racked up 17.5 sacks each of the last two years, and in 2024, he finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. A legitimate argument can even be made that he is underrated.
But his age is a problem. A decline could very well be on the horizon, and it probably is. The Pats have spent a lot of money retooling their roster over the last several months, but they have mostly pursued younger players, or at least players on the right side of 30. Especially defensively.
Hendrickson does not fit that criteria, and handing him huge wads of cash for the next several years could come back to haunt the Patriots.
New England would be better off signing someone like Jadeveon Clowney or Za'Darius Smith to a one-year contract than agreeing to a massive pact with Hendrickson while surrendering valuable draft capital in the process.
