The Los Angeles Chargers are in a win-now mode after making an unexpected trip to the playoffs last season. The team finished with an impressive 11-6 record, but lost in the AFC Wild Card round to the Houston Texans.
While the Chargers have made significant draft and free-agent acquisitions to bolster the squad in a loaded AFC West, the pass rush seems to have been ignored. Los Angeles cut Joey Bosa this offseason, and apart from re-signing Khalil Mack, no changes have occurred, prompting one analyst to suggest the Chargers could be in contention to land the 2024 NFL sack leader.
Chargers Predicted To Trade For Disgruntled Bengals’ Edge
After cutting Bosa earlier this offseason, the Chargers have a solid pass rush trio of Khalil Mack, Bud Dupree, and Tui Tuipulotu. However, both Mack and Dupree are aging (34 and 32), and while Tulpulotu had a breakout campaign with 8.5 sacks, it remains to be seen if he can sustain that success in 2025.
With that said, if Los Angeles truly wants to get over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, alongside the Denver Broncos and the Las Vegas Raiders, in the AFC West, a trade for Trey Hendrickson could be exactly what they need.
Hendrickson is entering the final year of his deal and has not received an extension yet from the Cincinnati Bengals, prompting him to skip the organized team activities.
The Bengals inked the wide receiver tandem of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to contract extensions of $161 million and $115 million, respectively, leaving little room to sign Hendrickson. While there’s seemingly always an unforeseen way for front offices to work around salary cap restrictions, the Bengals would place themselves even further in a Super Bowl-or-bust situation.
Yahoo Sports’ NFL analyst Matt Harmon believes the Bengals will not pay Hendrickson what he wants, and predicted he could land with the Chargers.
“Last time Hendrickson talked publicly, it sounded like (he and the Bengals had) reached kind of like a point of no return,” Harmon said on the “Football 301” podcast. “Unless they’re just going to slide the big fat check across the table, which always will mend fences. But I don’t know. I’m skeptical that that happens.”
Hendrickson recorded 17.5 sacks in 17 appearances last season, which marks the second consecutive year he’s hit that mark. Considering the Chargers have to face Mahomes, Bo Nix, and Geno Smith six times next season, it’s in their best interest to add a player known for terrorizing quarterbacks.
Trey Hendrickson since joining the Bengals in 2021:
💥 57.0 sacks (3rd)
💥 299 pressures (5th)
💥 17.4% pressure rate (2nd)
💥 92.2 pass rush grade (5th) pic.twitter.com/sOlchTW3b9— PFF (@PFF) May 13, 2025
Hendrickson fits perfectly with Mack’s tough run defending as a speedy outside threat, and the four-time Pro Bowler could be the final piece that could help the Chargers make a deeper playoff run in 2025.