After news broke on Monday morning that the Commanders had struck a deal with wide receiver Terry McLaurin to keep him in Washington for the next three seasons, it looked like the Patriots would have to shift their focus to another tradable player if they hoped to spend some of their estimated $60 million cap space this season.
That meant that either Trey Hendrickson or Micah Parsons would move to the top of the list, with the current Bengals pass rusher seemingly becoming the most probable option due to the continued standstill with the team and the lower price tag to get a deal done.
But now that looks like it won't be in the cards for New England this offseason either, at least according to the latest reporting from NFL insider Jordan Schultz, who revealed the Bengals have re-opened contract talks with Hendrickson this week.
Sources: The #Bengals have re-started talks with All-Pro DE Trey Hendrickson on a new deal for 2025.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 25, 2025
My understanding is the two sides have been exploring a more “unique” avenue to get something done. Giving Hendrickson more money this season while still letting his contract… pic.twitter.com/C4JyBUGWz2
Based on how most of the rumors surrounding McLaurin turned out to be true, it's likely that the Bengals and Hendrickson are on a path to striking a deal, too.
However, there is a smidge of hope for the Patriots chances in Schultz's report, as he stats there's a possibility that the only deal that gets done is giving Hendrickson more money this season, while still letting his contract expire at the end of the year.
The Patriots might need a new plan for getting an elite pass rusher on their defense now and in the future
If that's what ultimately happens, that means the Patriots will have to wait until next year to try to get the elite talent in the door. It won't be easy to accomplish that, however, because Hendrickson will be considered the best talent at the position to hit the free agent market, with the next best candidate being a 36-year-old Khalil Mack.
That's not an ideal situation for them to be in, but it's looking more and more like that will be their reality.
It could force their hand in the draft and make them take a serious look at incoming pass rushers from the 2026 class. That might be their only way at getting the caliber of talent they appear to need on their defensive line, as the best players at the position are rarely made available for trade, so that won't be an option.
Or, the best-case scenario would be the players they have on their roster right now, like K'Lavon Chaisson, Keion White, and Milton Williams, become exactly who they need them to be and create a much more dominant defense than anyone could have predicted.
There's a chance that could happen, based on what we've seen from the preseason and the strong belief the coaching staff have in their newly acquired players. Otherwise, this is going to be a tough problem for them to deal with next offseason.