Somebody goes worst-to-first in the NFL seemingly every season. While I would not argue that the New England Patriots are going to eclipse the Super Bowl-contending Buffalo Bills in the AFC East, the Miami Dolphins feel like they are at a critical point as an organization. Also, why should we ever trust the New York Jets under any circumstances? The Patriots might be the second-best team now.
So with that in mind, it would serve the upstart Patriots to go all-in on getting better in a hurry under Mike Vrabel. The former Tennessee Titans head coach was arguably the best head-coaching hire made this past offseason. He may be a former Patriots star, but his acumen on the sidelines has gained him even more clout at this stage of his football career. He is the alpha among alpha males.
When I saw what Trey Hendrickson fired out about the Cincinnati Bengals to ESPN on Monday afternoon, I had a few teams in mind where I thought he could end up. Although I mostly looked at contending teams in the NFC, the Patriots intrigue me. They should be markedly better than they were a year ago under a new regime. Plus, I think they have enough trade capital to go acquire him.
With territory to be claimed in the AFC East, the Patriots need to take advantage of the situation.
How good could Trey Hendrickson make the New England Patriots?
Admittedly, it would take far more than my brain can fathom for the Patriots to go from picking No. 4 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft to hosting an AFC playoff game as a division champion in the course of one offseason. Then again, somebody almost always goes worst-to-first in the NFL, so it might as well be the Patriots, right? They are on a shortlist of teams that I think could have it in them this year.
What you have to remember about Hendrickson is that he has been constantly slept on throughout most of his football career. He did not play Power Five football in college, having to settle for the opportunity that was given to him at Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton. Hendrickson did make a name for himself on the New Orleans Saints, but he did not re-sign with the team after his rookie contract.
In a way, I think Vrabel is the perfect type of head coach to get the most out of Hendrickson in the last little bit of his prime. Although the Patriots are now quite ready to win another Lombardi Trophy, who saw the Bengals playing for one in 2021? That was Hendrickson's first year with the franchise. The Saints have not been the same since he left. I would argue that his leaving Cincinnati would be crushing.
If any team has the stones to trade for Hendrickson in the AFC, I think New England has the best shot.