With the NFL trade deadline set for November 4, the New England Patriots find themselves in a position to make a midseason move that could transform their offense.
San Francisco’s 2023 acquisition of Christian McCaffrey offers a blueprint, as that deal helped propel the 49ers on a deep playoff run.
When ESPN’s Adam Schefter joined WEEI Afternoons on Tuesday, he addressed a trade target Patriots fans have discussed since Mike Vrabel took over in January.
The question centered on whether New England could realistically pursue Baltimore Ravens’ star Derrick Henry.
Schefter quickly dismissed the speculation linking Henry to the Patriots.
“No, it’s not going to happen. I can tell you – I spoke to people in Baltimore. They’re getting ready to make what they believe is a second-half run,” Schefter said on WEEI Afternoons, adding, “But I can tell you today that the Ravens are not thinking anything like that. They’re thinking, ‘Look at our schedule, look at our talent, we’re going to make a run here. We’re not done.’ And a team that is thinking that way is not in the mindset of trading Derrick Henry.”
Could the Patriots make a trade for Ravens star running back Derrick Henry?
We asked ESPN's @AdamSchefter if the Ravens could move on from their halfback at the deadline pic.twitter.com/DYYLavRoEK
— WEEI Afternoons (@WEEIAfternoons) October 14, 2025
Schefter explained that only a complete collapse would shift Baltimore’s thinking.
If the Ravens lost two straight after their bye and fell to 1-7, the conversation might change.
But their current mindset points in the opposite direction, focused entirely on making a second-half push rather than resetting their season.
The speculation gained some momentum because of Henry’s connection to Vrabel.
Before joining Baltimore as a free agent last season, Henry spent eight years with the Tennessee Titans.
For six of those seasons, he played under Vrabel, who helped the 252-pound back develop into one of the league’s most dominant runners.
Henry remains a force in the backfield, logging 88 carries for 439 yards and four touchdowns this season, averaging an efficient five yards per attempt.
His ability to shoulder a heavy workload hasn’t faded. Still, with a 1-5 record, Baltimore faces a steep climb. It’s not entirely out of reach, but the odds aren’t in their favor.
Missing the postseason now feels like a genuine possibility.
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