The 2024 Patriots were riddled with problems. The offensive line struggled to block, receivers had trouble getting open, Rhamondre Stevenson couldn't hold on to the football, and the list goes on. One of the most important issues the team addressed this offseason was the pass rush.
With 28 sacks the entire season, the team's performance was a depressing stat that pegged them last in the entire league.
While the coaching of Jerod Mayo and DeMarcus Covington may not have been elite, the personnel across the defensive line last year was abhorrent. Christian Barmore managed just two games, and Keion White's electric four sacks in the first two games came to a sudden stop as he finished with just five total on the year. Deatrich Wise departed, and he was joint first with White on the team in sacks.
The upgrades needed to the Patriots pass rush were certainly made this offseason
The pass rush should be much better this season, at least on paper. Milton Williams has the highest pass rush grade according to PFF of all defensive tackles, at 91.7. The only other player to eclipse the 90 mark was Chris Jones.
Christian Barmore will also return: his 84.9 PFF pass rush grade in 2023 (his last full season) would have slotted him fourth in the league this season, above Jalen Carter and Jeffery Simmons. Jeremiah Pharms was a productive player in stints last season, and he returns on a two-year deal. Keion White is an athletic freak, but still needs to put it all together to become a premier pass rusher. The interior duo should have little trouble collapsing the pocket.
On the edge, the team further improved, with the likes of Harold Landry and K'Lavon Chaisson being added. Landry, 29, has been a productive player for a while, but tore his ACL in 2022 and was released by the Titans this offseason after a nine-sack season. Chaisson has just ten career sacks in five seasons, but the former first-round pick had half of those last year with the Raiders and has been active in the preseason.
Anfernee Jennings had three sacks against the Vikings, and each of fifth-round pick Bradyn Swinson and third-year Harvard alum Truman Jones has made their pushes for the 53. There's no doubt the Patriots are better off than they were last season, but are the additions they made significant enough?
Mass Live's Karen Guregian argues that while the future of the Patriots' pass rush is bright, the current situation is more questionable.
Performance over potential
I'm inclined to agree with Guregian's point about pass rush on the edge: "They have a stable of good, to potentially very good pass rushers. They don’t, however, have an elite rusher who instantly draws added attention," she writes.
Currently, the edge features only one proven pass rusher, Harold Landry, and while he's been productive, he's not a player teams game plan around. Chaisson has ten career sacks, as mentioned; Jennings is primarily a versatile linebacker and run defender with 5.5 career sacks, and even if Keion White is considered an edge, he too has only six career sacks.
Rookie Swinson only adds to the immense potential the group has, but it doesn't mean it's a good enough group right now to strike fear into opponents.
In order to fix the issues that come with a lack of elite edge players, she suggests that the Patriots' landing of Trey Hendrickson of the Bengals could do them a world of good. While adding the 2024 sack leader would be an immense addition, there are other factors to consider.
Would trading for Trey Hendrickson be worth it?
Given the incredible duo the Patriots have in the middle of their defensive line, one could argue that pass-rush help isn't necessarily necessary. However, the lack of elite edge players might force the duo into more double teams. If Vrabel and company believe that's the case, then making a move for Hendrickson would most certainly be worthwhile. A trade would be difficult to pull off, yes, but the team has some high-potential pieces to move.
The Bengals star still has gas left in the tank at 30 years old. Then, 27-year-old Khalil Mack was traded to the Bears in 2018, and the Raiders got a haul that included two first-round picks. That's far too rich for Hendrickson, but a single first-round pick isn't a ridiculous ask.
Given the volatility of the Patriots' roster, however, some guesswork would go on if they were to send a first-rounder to Cincinnati. Would they send the 23rd pick, for example? Probably. If their 2025 season doesn't go as planned, though, the 11th pick, for example, would be too rich.
To avoid dealing a first-round pick, perhaps the Patriots could send a young and ascending player or two, along with a pick to the AFC North. Possibly pairing a second-round pick with Keion White or a duo of Kayshon Boutte and Caeden Wallace to go along with a second rounder? Could it be enough for the Bengals to bite?
I'm still inclined to think that the Bengals will opt to keep Hendrickson, and given the amount the team has already spent on interior pass rushers, I'd expect the Krafts will be hesitant to shell out more money. While I think the team has done enough to improve the pass rush as a whole this offseason, they will need more juice on the edge, barring a breakout from White or Swinson.
If Vrabel and Co. see fit, adding Hendrickson would bolster the defensive line from being one of the most improved to maybe the best in football.