Trey Hendrickson is officially free to find a new home.
The Bengals granted the All-Pro edge permission to seek a trade, ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNetwork Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Thursday, per sources.
A third-round pick of the Saints in 2017, Hendrickson joined Cincinnati as a coveted free agent in 2021 and proceeded to tally double-digit sack totals in three of his four seasons with the Bengals. Hendrickson finished 2024 as the ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøleader in sacks with 17.5, earning his first All-Pro nod by producing at an elite rate despite belonging to a Cincinnati defensive front that struggled against the run and in generating a consistent pass rush.
Hendrickson's performance led Bengals fans to hope extending the pass rusher would rank near the top of the team's offseason priorities, but at 30 years old, it appears he no longer fits their long-term plans. Instead, it appears the Bengals will attempt to recoup as much as possible in a deal involving Hendrickson. The pass rusher has one year remaining on his current contract, which is scheduled to account for $18.66 million in cap space in 2025, including $15.8 million in base salary.
With no guaranteed money left on Hendrickson's deal and two straight 17.5-sack seasons, Hendrickson is a highly attractive trade chip for teams seeking help on the edge. Cincinnati can save $16 million in cap space by trading him this offseason, making such a deal beneficial for the Bengals from a business standpoint.
From a football perspective, such a deal will hurt Cincinnati defensively. Sam Hubbard retired earlier this week, and shipping out Hendrickson would mean the Bengals would enter 2025 without either of their starting defensive ends. With Joseph Ossai and Cameron Sample headed toward free agency, the Bengals would only have 2023 first-round pick Myles Murphy -- a rotational player in his first two seasons -- remaining, meaning they'll have to make a significant effort to restock the position this spring.
Here are eight potential landing spots for Hendrickson (in order of best fit):
As soon as Aidan Hutchinson went down with a broken leg last season, Detroit became a leading candidate to acquire an edge rusher. Detroit did just that, too, trading for Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith, and although Smith played well, the Lions also learned the importance of defensive depth last season. With $51 million in cap space at their disposal, the Lions can certainly take on Hendrickson's existing salary and perhaps strike an extension, giving them a pair of elite rushers for 2025, if not longer. If there's one way to help the back end of their defense, it's by getting after the quarterback. A Hutchinson-Hendrickson pairing would do just that -- even if it's a bit of a mouthful for announcers.
In his first full season as a starter, YaYa Diaby fell short of the 7.5-sack mark he'd set as a rookie, finishing with 4.5. Calijah Kancey reached that mark, but once the Buccaneers fell to the Commanders on Wild Card Weekend, it became clear Todd Bowles' defense could use an upgrade at edge. Hendrickson would fill that need, although the Buccaneers need to create some cap space to take on his current salary. With Hendrickson, though, Tampa Bay might not need to send the blitz as much, which would help its 29th-ranked passing defense.
The Chargers released Joey Bosa and must focus their efforts on keeping Khalil Mack if they want to avoid entering free agency with two massive holes on the edge. If they convince Mack to stay with dollars and hope, Hendrickson would represent an ideal replacement for Bosa, who struggled to stay healthy in recent years. Hendrickson excels in a number of categories (e.g., sacks), but one of his greatest strengths is his ability to remain available. He hasn't missed a game since 2022, and Los Angeles could use that kind of reliability as it aims to improve upon its wild card-worthy 2024 finish.
Atlanta's pass rush was one of the worst in the ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøin the first half of the season, and while the Falcons showed improvement in the back half of the campaign, they clearly need a difference-maker, especially with Matthew Judon headed to free agency. Acquiring Hendrickson would address this need, although like the Buccaneers, the Falcons would need to create some cap space to fit his contract into their books. A Kirk Cousins trade could manufacture the necessary space.
Washington's defense played well above expectation in 2024, which means its due to regress in 2025. The Commanders kept Bobby Wagner but also benefitted significantly from Dante Fowler's production, which outpaced his salary by miles. He's likely to get paid in March, and if it isn't the Commanders signing his checks, they have plenty of cap space to take on Hendrickson's deal and consider an extension while adding a proven pass rusher who would instantly improve their overall outlook on that side of the ball. After trading for former 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel over the weekend, the Commanders have proven they're not afraid to make deals, either.
Montez Sweat recorded just 5.5 sacks in 2024, but most aren't questioning his potential in Chicago. Those results will improve if he has a legitimate teammate on the other side of the defensive front. Enter Hendrickson, who could find inspiration in the Bears' new coaching staff and promising organizational future. It's always wise to pair good edge rushers, and Sweat could certainly use a premier running mate.
Preston Smith requested a trade and was granted his freedom from Jeff Hafley's defense during the 2024 season, and while he recorded 7.5 sacks, Rashan Gary seemed to have a bit of an issue finding a fit in the scheme, too. He could use a running mate in Hendrickson, who would take away some of the attention paid to him by opposing defenses and raise the overall ceiling of this unit in 2025. Green Bay can afford Hendrickson, too, and while many folks are focused on its situation at receiver right now, acquiring Hendrickson would also make a ton of sense -- and perhaps a bigger splash in the end.
The Colts don't need an edge rusher, at least on paper, but Hendrickson's former defensive coordinator in Cincinnati, Lou Anarumo, is now manning that job in Indy, making for a logical fit if the two would like to continue working together. Indianapolis has more pressing needs elsewhere, but if it wants to fix the defense that was leaky enough to get Gus Bradley fired, adding a familiar and highly productive defender into the mix makes sense.
