BREAKING: PATRIOTS RUMORED TO BE EYEING DERRICK HENRY TRADE — MIKE VRABEL REUNION BUZZ IGNITES NEW ENGLAND
The New England Patriots are looking great at the start of the Mike Vrabel era. New England is 4-2 after defeating New Orleans in Week 6. That means the Patriots has already matched their win total from last season and it is still October. Perhaps the Patriots should keep the pressure on by making a splashy trade.
Bill Simmons floated the idea of the Patriots trading for Ravens running back Derrick Henry on Monday.
Simmons discussed the idea with his guest, Cousin Sal, who believes that Baltimore should be open to trading the superstar running back. Especially after some of their recent struggles after starting the season 1-5.
Simmons suggested that the Patriots offer Rhamondre Stevenson and a second-round pick for Henry.
“What pick would get their attention? Like our second? What if our second and Rhamondre? They got to take Rhomandre, well they need a running back,” Simmons said on Monday via The Bill Simmons Podcast. “You know who used to work together? Derrick Henry and Mike Vrabel. Yeah they used to have a really great relationship once upon a time.”
A Vrabel and Henry reunion would be something to see in New England.
But could it really happen?
Should the Patriots actually try to acquire a player like Derrick Henry?
A power running back is one of the team's biggest needs on offense, at least for the rest of this season.
Rhamondre Stevenson has seemingly fallen out of favor in New England. He had his worst game of the season in Week 6 against the Saints, turning 13 carries into just 18 yards against a terrible defense. In fact, Stevenson only has 157 rushing yards despite playing in six games.
Adding a veteran superstar like Henry would completely change how defenses play against New England. It would also be nice to see Henry rescued from a sinking ship in Baltimore.
But could this really happen?
It is unlikely that the Ravens would throw in the towel on their season just yet. However, if they continue to lose games, they could become more amenable to a trade.
Patriots fans should not get their hopes up about an impending trade for King Henry. But it could be a possibility to look out for at the NFL trade deadline in early November.
Next up for the Patriots is a Week 7 matchup against the Titans.
Why Buccaneers could dominate Falcons in the opener after recent news
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have cut their roster down to the 53-man limit as the start of the 2025 season closes in, but it may be news out of Atlanta and their NFC South rivals, the Falcons, that could have them licking their chops ahead of their Week 1 matchup.
On Tuesday, news was broken that Falcons' starting right tackle and starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s blindside protector, Kaleb McGary, would miss the entirety of the 2025 season with a leg injury.
With McGary Out, Bucs Should Feast
McGary has been a staple starting at tackle for Atlanta since being taken late in the first round out of Washington in 2019 and hasn't missed hardly any time throughout his six-year career.
McGary injured his leg last week during practice, which ultimately led to the Falcons trading for Seattle Seahawks backup Michael Jerrell, who will take over in McGary's place for the time being.
McGary isn't the best of pass blockers, but he has been a proven commodity for the Falcons in the run game.
With McGary on the sidelines, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' pass rush, led by first-year Bucs Haason Reddick, should have itself a field day.
Reddick and company should be able to get after Penix with a backup tackle starting his first game with a new club. Still, they will have an even greater advantage at working to slow down MVP candidate, running back Bijan Robinson, as they look to bounce back from being swept by the Falcons last season.
The Bucs' defense looks to have improved this offseason at all levels, but an emphasis will be placed on how much the pass rush and secondary have improved.
The addition of Reddick, as long as he can somewhat return to his earlier form, will be a welcome sight in proving that. The defensive line, on paper, seems to be one of the Bucs' strong suits with Reddick, Yaya Diaby, Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea headlining the starting unit.
With the two-deep defensive line at full health, it will be no surprise to see them take over the game with the Falcons' offensive line in flux.
