Joe Burrow’s three-month absence changes a lot of things in Cincinnati, including the team’s expectations for this season. The Bengals are 2-1, but it wouldn’t be unreasonable to think the front office believes this could quickly turn into a lost season in the wake of their 48-10 drubbing at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings.
Things won’t be getting easier. In Week 4, the Bengals travel to Mile High to play the Denver Broncos, host the Detroit Lions in Week 5, and head to Lambeau Field to play the Green Bay Packers in Week 6.
It’s not out of the question that the Bengals could be 2-4 heading into their Week 7 divisional matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Who is the Bengals’ Top Trade Candidate?
PFSN’s Tim Crean writes, “After giving Trey Hendrickson a one-year deal to end his holdout, it may now be the time to trade the premier pass rusher.”
The Bengals might agree, and several NFL teams would love to add Hendrickson to their defensive front. He’s on a one-year, $29 million contract, making him a free agent after the 2025 season.
Which teams could be prime landing spots for Hendrickson?
San Francisco 49ers
The Niners lost Nick Bosa to a torn ACL, so this seems almost too logical. The Bengals were shopping Hendrickson in the offseason and asking for a first-round pick and a quality defensive player.
If the Niners could swing a deal, it would likely mean they gave up a first or second-rounder, and then they’d have to restructure Hendrickson’s deal.
Plugging Hendrickson in would give the Niners back the pass rush they lost with Bosa’s injury and keep them on track for a playoff run.
Detroit Lions
Detroit is a win-now team, and defensive end Marcus Davenport just went on the IR. Looking back to last year and the horrible injury luck they suffered would probably make them think about going hard in the paint to try to pry Hendrickson out of Cincinnati.
Like Green Bay, the Lions are loath to part with premium draft picks, but if they think Hendrickson is someone who can get them into the Super Bowl, it’s hard not to see them rolling the dice to bring in a difference-making pass rusher.
Indianapolis Colts
The surprise team of the NFL is 3-0 with Daniel Jones at quarterback. Jonathan Taylor is clicking, and the Colts could be in a position to make a run for the AFC South division title. However, while the Colts’ pass rush is a little on the anemic side, ranking 29th in Pass Rush Win Rate, it would mean having to possibly give up a first-rounder in a deep quarterback draft to get their hands on Hendrickson.
Philadelphia Eagles
Adam Schefter reports that Eagles OLB Nolan Smith will be out until the team’s November 2 bye week. The Eagles have draft capital and a deep roster, so if they made a move for Hendrickson, it would almost be like adding another diamond onto their pile of talent. This is just speculation, but it would be like when the Dallas Cowboys acquired Charles Haley in the early ’90s.
Sources: Eagles OLB Nolan Smith strained his triceps Sunday, and now is expected to be sidelined through the team’s Nov. 2 bye. He could return for the Monday night Nov. 10 game at Green Bay. Smith had triceps surgery a week after the Super Bowl and aggravated the injury last… https://t.co/JBKEH0ZnKP pic.twitter.com/KdrR1R50oy
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 24, 2025
Washington Commanders
The Commanders would love to add a premium pass rusher to the mix. They have Jayden Daniels on a rookie deal, so maximizing their chances of making deep playoff runs is at the forefront of their minds. Handing off a first-round pick would be costly, but if they want to challenge the Philadelphia Eagles, they’ll need help getting after the quarterback.
Regardless of where Hendrickson ends up, the team that nabs him will pay a pretty penny to get him.
