The Cincinnati Bengals were always going to be one of the more interesting teams to watch this offseason. However, their decision-making has made them even more intriguing as the NFL Draft approaches.
After giving both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins historic contract extensions, the team has yet to truly focus on the defensive end, resulting in Defensive Player of the Year candidate Trey Hendrickson being hunt out to dry. One analyst believes there might be a bigger plan that the Bengals are hatching on April 24.
Could the Cincinnati Bengals Trade Trey Hendrickson?
Last season, the Bengals’ defense was among the worst in the league, finishing with the fifth-worst ranking on PFSN’s Defense+ metric. But apart from adding Tedarrell Slaton in exchange for Sheldon Rankins, the team has yet to make any real upgrades on that side of the ball.
Moreover, Hendrickson—who earned some Defensive Player of the Year buzz thanks to an incredible individual season, where he racked up a career-high 17.5 sacks—still hasn’t received a new contract.
Instead, the team gave him permission to explore trades in the offseason. Nothing came to fruition, but the latest mock draft from PFSN suggests that could change during the 2025 NFL Draft.
The superstar edge rusher, packaged with the 81st overall pick, might be enough for the Los Angeles Chargers to part with the No. 22 overall pick. After losing Joey Bosa in free agency, the Chargers need a defensive stalwart on their front line, and Hendrickson could be the perfect fit.
On the other end, analyst Jacob Infante projects the Bengals would quickly find a replacement for the four-time Pro Bowler.
“In this NFL mock draft, the Bengals part with Trey Hendrickson, sending him off to the EDGE-needy Chargers in a pick swap that lands them two first-round picks. As a result, Cincinnati would need a new edge rusher to pair up with Myles Murphy,” Infante wrote.
That’s where Mike Green out of Marshall comes in.
“After an All-American season where he racked up 17 sacks, Mike Green is one of the top edge rushers in this NFL Draft,” Infante adds.
The addition of Green would immediately make Cincinnati far younger on defense. And with longtime defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo now in Indianapolis and Al Golden serving as his replacement, perhaps the Bengals wants to begin a new era with a new star at the center. Green could be exactly the player needed to usher that era in.