Patriots could be eyeing two key defensive free agents in particular
· Yahoo Sports
The New England Patriots could be in the market for playmaking defenders with the start of free agency less than two weeks away. Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson and Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Jaelan Phillips are two players to watch for the Patriots, according to a recent report from MassLive's Mark Daniels and Karen Guregian.
Phillips, who was in his first year back from a torn ACL, had five sacks last season for both the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins. He had 53 total tackles, a forced fumble and four pass deflections.
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Hendrickson appeared in only seven games before being placed on injured reserve and undergoing a season-ending hip surgery. He totaled 16 tackles, four sacks, a forced fumble and a pass deflection in 2025, after posting back-to-back 17.5 sack seasons.
Daniels and Guregian wrote:
"Although the free agent class isn’t considered stacked with top talent, the Patriots like a handful of veteran pass rushers.
Two names to watch are Jaelan Phillips and Trey Hendrickson. We’re told there are quite a few admirers inside Gillette Stadium of both players."
The inability to generate a consistent pass rush was one of the Patriots' greatest weaknesses in 2025. It doesn't help matters that K'Lavon Chaisson is a pending free agent, and Harold Landry III has been dealing with injuries.
The unit needs help in the offseason, whether that comes from signing free agents, like Hendrickson and Phillips, or the 2026 NFL Draft.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots could be eyeing two key defensive free agents in particular