Trey Hendrickson’s future with the Cincinnati Bengals remains up in the air. The two sides remain miles apart, literally and in terms of an agreement.
Before the training camp, the Bengals star posted a photo from Florida, suggesting that training camp couldn’t be further from his mind as he waits for his team to pay up. He later arrived at the training camp, but his contract has not progressed so far.
Bengals Take Major Decision on Trey Hendrickson’s Future
As per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Bengals are listening to trade offers for the four-time Pro Bowler.
“With contract talks at an impasse, the #Bengals are listening to trade offers for perennial Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson, per me & Tom Pelissero,” Rapoport wrote on X. “It’s unclear if the NFL sack leader will be playing elsewhere in 2025, and a trade will be a real challenge. But time will tell.”
Another NFL insider, Jordan Schultz, revealed that the Carolina Panthers, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Cleveland Browns “are among the teams that have shown interest” in trading for the Bengals star.
Despite Hendrickson’s earlier preference to stay in Cincinnati, there remains a very real possibility that he will be suiting up for another team in 2025. Having led the NFL in sacks last season, the player won’t be short of admirers, with the following five teams all being potential trade destinations apart from the Panthers, Colts, and the Browns.
Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley did a great job with the team’s young defense in his first year on the job. The Packers, long-time strugglers against the run under Joe Barry, allowed the seventh-fewest yards and third-fewest yards per attempt on the ground in 2024, a stat that flew under the radar.
Only the league’s elite run defenses, the Baltimore Ravens and the Denver Broncos, bettered Green Bay in that per-attempt stat. Still, the team could use some star power. The Packers recorded the eighth-most sacks in the league last year (tied), despite having just one player record more than 5.0 sacks individually (Rashan Gary, 7.5).
Rashan Gary gets to Jared Goff for the sack 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TWbXlKJAfn
— Sky Sports NFL (@SkySportsNFL) November 3, 2024
Hendrickson could step in as a willing run-stopper, something the Packers value in their defensive ends, while giving the team a cutting edge against the pass.
Detroit Lions
Staying in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions saw their Super Bowl hopes dashed by defensive line injuries in 2024. The Lions remain among the favorites to win it all in 2025, despite an exodus of key coaching staff during the offseason.
Detroit also has to factor in a new contract for current pass-rushing star Aidan Hutchinson, but that could potentially wait until 2026. Hendrickson would add to one of the league’s most feared defenses, not only with his own output, but by taking eyes away from Hutchinson on the other side.
The entire NFC is looking for ways to stop Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles offense. The Lions bringing in Hendrickson could pay off when it matters most.
New York Jets
Segueing seamlessly from the Lions to the team that hired Detroit’s former defensive coordinator as their head coach this year, the New York Jets are in the conversation. Aaron Glenn will be looking to build an elite defensive unit in New York, around stars like Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams, and Will McDonald.
McDonald led the Jets in sacks last season with 10.5, with Williams coming in second with 6.0. Those numbers alone are impressive, but adding an elite star like Hendrickson opposite McDonald would be a big step toward challenging for a playoff spot in 2025.
Glenn’s Lions were fourth in quarterback pressure rate (26.2%) in 2024, but tied for 23rd in sacks (37). If Glenn wants a better end product from the pressure he dials up in New York, Hendrickson is a no-brainer.
Las Vegas Raiders
Another AFC team with a new head coach this season is the Las Vegas Raiders, who hired legendary Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll this offseason. Carroll is also a defensive mind, and the thought of pairing Hendrickson with four-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby may be too tempting to ignore.
Maxx Crosby gets to Lamar Jackson for the SACK đź’Ş pic.twitter.com/M2wPVD2sMH
— Raider Nation (@RaidersNationCP) September 15, 2024
In 2024, the Raiders were a bottom-12 defense in both quarterback pressure rate (21.2%) and sacks (38), something Carroll will be eager to fix. The team spent a first-round pick on edge rusher Tyree Wilson in 2023Â but has yet to break even on that investment.
With the Raiders offense now stacked with stars, Carroll should be aiming to compete immediately. Hendrickson would help that cause in a big way, adding elite playmaking ability as well as an experienced head.
Los Angeles Chargers
If not the Raiders, the Los Angeles Chargers could be tempted to bring Hendrickson to the AFC West. The Chargers have the least available 2025 cap space of any team on this list, but they are forecasted to have plenty of financial freedom down the road.
The Chargers released veteran Joey Bosa earlier in the year, and Hendrickson would represent a far more reliable replacement for the 2016 Defensive Rookie of the Year. Jim Harbaugh has been reshaping the Chargers’ defense into a more aggressive, downhill unit, making Hendrickson a great fit.
In a stacked division, bringing in the 2024 sack leader could tip the scales in favor of Los Angeles, with all four teams expecting playoff football in January.
