Trey Hendrickson entered the 2026 NFL offseason as one of the best available edge defenders in free agency. He eventually landed with the Baltimore Ravens after playing for the Cincinnati Bengals in the division last year. He recently spoke about his experience entering his tenth season and what he can bring to his new team.
Trey Hendrickson Opens Up About Learning From Mistakes
Hendrickson and the Bengals had been unable to come to an agreement on a contract extension for years. This resulted in him being franchise-tagged, which he reportedly found frustrating, and eventually led to his departure in free agency.
The star defender recently spoke about some of his past mistakes, describing them as times when he took his competitive nature a bit too far. He explained that his experience has been a learning process that he can now pass on what he’s learned to some Ravens prospects, including Mike Green.
“I learned what it took to be a vet and be a good teammate through the process. There’s a line that you don’t want to cross, and I crossed about all of them … It’s a fun time to give this knowledge that I’ve been given through so many great players to help mold guys like Mike Green into the best version of himself. That’s what excites me about being a veteran in this league,” said Hendrickson.
Trey Hendrickson ahead of his 10th NFL season:
“It’s a fun time to give this knowledge that I’ve been given through so many great players to help mold guys like Mike Green into the best version of himself. That’s what excites me about being a veteran in this league.”
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— Bobby Trosset (@bobbybaltim0re) March 27, 2026
Hendrickson has never had an issue being productive on the football field, including ranking 23rd or better among all edge players in PFSN’s Impact Rankings for all five of his seasons with the Bengals. He discussed how his experience overcoming adversity has essentially molded him into a better teammate.
He is apparently looking forward to demonstrating this concept in Baltimore and specifically named Green as someone he may be able to help develop his overall game. He joined the Ravens as a prized draft pick last year, but his rookie season was a bit disappointing, including just 3.5 sacks.
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The veteran explained that working with other great players in the past has helped him to become the best version of himself, and believes that he can pass this down to Green and others. Hendrickson is just 31 years old and one year removed from being named a first-team All-Pro and the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award, so the Ravens are expecting him to be more than just a mentor for their younger players.
