The NFL trade deadline is approaching, and various writers are listing their top candidates who could be traded for their respective teams. For the New England Patriots, Fox Sports’ Henry McKenna had an interesting name. Running back TreVeyon Henderson was his choice for this article.
Henderson has 49 carries for 194 yards and a touchdown this season. He also has three receptions for 31 yards. He has been able to make contributions despite his injuries this season, as the Patriots have still made the running game a huge part of what they do offensively.
McKenna believes that Henderson could be a candidate to let go due to his deficiencies in key areas.
You don’t really want to sell on a playmaker who brings explosives in the run game. But if someone came offering? Maybe the Patriots would think about letting Henderson go. He’s good for a long run here and there. Otherwise, he has a nasty habit of running into the backs of his offensive line — and missing blocking assignments in pass-pro.
TreVeyon Henderson Struggles In Key Area
The pass protection issues are certainly a valid point. The 2025 season put those on full display. He surrendered seven pressures on just 21 pass-blocking snaps. This led to him being pulled on third downs in critical situations. Henderson is currently the second-lowest-graded running back in pass protection across the league. The playmaker has an overall offensive grade of 61.3, and pass blocking is a major part of that.
That being said, Henderson is still a productive back for the Patriots. He has been able to provide a solid backfield dynamic with Rhamondre Stevenson, and has given the Patriots an additional threat in the running game.
Patriots Have Key Depth Weapon At Position
The Patriots were also able to find gold with running back Corey Kiner. The latter has taken on a bigger role lately, and he has been able to showcase exactly how he fits into this offensive unit. He has carried the ball six times for 31 yards, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. Although the statistics don’t necessarily jump off the page, he has played better in recent weeks.
Kiner has had two strong weeks back-to-back against the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets. The running back carried the ball six times for 43 yards against the Raiders, averaging 7.2 yards per carry. A 32-yard rush was his longest of the afternoon. He then was able to follow up that performance with 11 carries for 57 yards against the Jets. The playmaker averaged 5.2 yards per carry in that game.
It would still be a risky proposition for the Patriots to move on from Henderson, even with Kiner. The Ohio State product has tremendous upside and has been able to provide a spark in the backfield, particularly in the 2025 season. Moving on from him at this juncture may be a bit premature. Although you can never count anything out in the NFL, this trade proposal seems a bit outlandish given that Henderson is only in his second year.
Henderson has had an injury-plagued and inconsistent 2026 season. However, he is still a valuable part of the Patriots’ backfield. Giving up on him now would certainly be quite the choice, and this suggestion seems a bit outlandish.
Patriots Playmaker Named Potential Trade Chip by FOX Sports