Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf took the task of resetting the Patriots' roster this offseason seriously, and by all accounts, have done an incredible job of putting the team in a good position to be competitive for the 2025 season. Countless players have been added to boost all aspects of the team, with Drake Maye being the ultimate beneficiary, but that also means new players will take spots previously held by those on the team last year.
That is especially relevant for veterans who will inevitably be replaced by incoming rookies, a story that continues to be a prominent theme during OTAs. One of the primary candidates that will likely be fighting for his job this summer is running back Antonio Gibson, as TreVeyon Henderson was selected in the second round of this year's draft.
On top of that, UDFA Lan Larison has flashed during practice so far, leaving many to believe he could easily secure a spot on this season's roster. Because the new regime has already proven no player is off limits from being released or traded, that puts Gibson in the crosshairs, especially since he's already being deemed the easiest trade candidate before the season begins.
Antonio Gibson might be the next Patriots player traded this offseason
Given how Vrabel and Wolf have gone about constructing this year's roster, it wouldn't be surprising to see more veterans, even ones who proved to be valuable last season, be on the chopping block next.
That unfortunately includes Gibson, who had moments of impressive play during his first season in New England, who Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports believes is the most obvious next trade to get done.
"The New England Patriots just spent an early second-round pick on Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson, and they're just a year removed from extending starter Rhamondre Stevenson on a $36 million deal. Gibson may well be the odd man out, despite his track record as a pass-catching option. The Patriots, now led by Mike Vrabel, could save $2.3 million by trading Gibson after June 1 as opposed to $1.3 million prior, while a post-June 1 release would save the team an extra $1 million."
Despite his contributions in the passing game as well, Gibson might be one of the only trade-worthy players the Patriots will be willing to part with, as they have other running backs with similar skill sets waiting in the wings. It's partially why Henderson was selected in Round 2, and why there was an urgency to sign Larison before he went to another team.
Although it would be beneficial to keep a veteran around for the upcoming season, Rhamondre Stevenson is still expected to be the RB1, leaving Gibson to compete for the RB2 role with the rookies.
Instead, Benjamin feels the Patriots could trade him to a team like the Broncos, who could benefit from a talent like Gibson and potentially offer the best return. Because adding more draft capital is clearly a priority for the new regime, it could make the idea of trading Gibson even stronger, especially since they have players to step up in his place right away.
The only thing that will presumably stop them from getting a deal done is his veteran experience, and they might not want to rid the offense of that even more. That will be a point to consider when thinking about the roster around Maye and might be the only thing saving Gibson from playing elsewhere in 2025.