Top Trade Packages for Trey Hendrickson After Bengals Grant Request to Seek Trade
The Cincinnati Bengals are in a significant predicament this offseason to retain some of their best talent, as they could lose the league's top sack artist.
Earlier in the week, the organization placed the franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins for the second time in as many years. The figure will exceed $26 million under his current designation. According to The Athletic Dianna Russini, suitors have called inquiring about Higgins' availability but have been told the "Bengals continue to pursue a long-term deal."
How can the Bengals afford Higgins with a monster contract extension forthcoming for fellow wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase? Well, defensive end Trey Hendrickson may no longer be in the team's plans.
Cincinnati granted Hendrickson permission to seek a trade Thursday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The defensive lineman was unhappy with his contract a year ago and requested to be dealt then but still honored his commitment for the 2024 campaign and led the NFL with 17.5 sacks. No player has registered more sacks over the last two regular seasons.
Hendrickson is 30 years old and looking for a new deal. As an elite pass-rusher, numerous teams should be calling and trying to trade for the four-time Pro Bowler. Five squads sit at the top of that list.
Washington Commanders
1 of 5
Bengals Get: DL Daron Payne; 2025 third-round draft pick
Commanders Get: Edge Trey Hendrickson; 2025 fourth-round draft pick
Player-for-player deals aren't common in the NFL. However, this particular scenario makes plenty of sense for both organizations.
According to Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz, the Washington Commanders became the first team named as an interested suitor for Hendrickson's services. The Commanders will be in the edge-rusher market since the team's leading sack-artist from a year ago, Dante Fowler Jr., is a free agent and no one else at the position managed more than five sacks.
Washington is already a popular landing spot for the Cleveland Browns' Myles Garrett, who is looking to play for a contender. The Commanders have options now.
Yes, Garrett is the marquee player on the market. But he'll also cost the most to obtain. Hendrickson is a solid fallback option. Plus, Joey Bosa is now available as well. Washington's front office can leverage that availability to get the best deal for the team.
In this particular scenario, the Commanders could move Daron Payne. Previously, the organization built its defense from the inside out, but head coach Dan Quinn is looking to take the opposite approach.
For the Bengals, they do have salary-cap flexibility. Payne's base salary is $3.1 million more than Hendrickson's this coming season. But the defensive tackle is two-and-a-half years younger, signed through the 2026 campaign and fills a need, with B.J. Hill set to enter free agency.
Chicago Bears
2 of 5
Bengals Get: 2025 10th overall draft pick and third-round draft pick
Bears Get: Edge Trey Hendrickson, 2025 17th overall draft pick and fourth-round draft pick
The Bears understand the position they're in and are already taking full advantage.
Chicago believes it finally has a franchise quarterback in place after selecting Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The Bears now have four cost-controlled years on Williams' rookie contract to build the roster around him and show rapid improvement.
The organization started this process by acquiring guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney from the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively. Even with those moves, Chicago still has $45.3 million in available salary-cap space, per Spotrac.
Why stop there? A veteran core around Williams can help in the quarterback's development. The Bears already field a talented defense, though it took a step back in 2024. Bookends of Hendrickson and Montez Sweat will be dynamic tone-setters for the unit.
Sweat managed only 5.5 sacks last year, though. He didn't have a running mate on the opposite side who could muster more than 3.5. Hendrickson immediately makes the Bears better and takes them one step closer to being competitive in the NFC North.
Let's also point out that Hendrickson's former defensive coordinator in New Orleans, Dennis Allen, serves in that role for Chicago.
Atlanta Falcons
3 of 5
Bengals Get: 2025 second-round draft pick; 2026 third-round draft pick
Falcons Get: Edge Trey Hendrickson
Some may look at the above return and think the Bengals aren't getting enough. But keep in mind, Hendrickson turns 31 by the end of this year and will want a massive contract extension.
For comparison, the Bears flipped a second-round pick to the Washington Commanders for Montez Sweat, who was three years younger at the 2023 trade deadline before signing him to a new megadeal.
Meanwhile, Toys 'R' Us still existed the last time the Falcons fielded an edge-rusher who managed 10 or more sacks.
The Falcons can't let a robust crop of proven pass-rushers slip through their grasp this offseason. Atlanta can legitimately build around Hendrickson as the primary piece of its defense while fielding a talented secondary that will only be helped by his constant disruptive presence.
Atlanta isn't one piece away from legitimately contending at a high level. But with the addition of Hendrickson, coupled with Michael Penix Jr. taking the reins at quarterback, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be looking over their proverbial shoulder in the NFC South.
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New England Patriots
4 of 5
Bengals Get: 2025 second-round draft pick
Patriots Get: Edge Trey Hendrickson
If Hendrickson's request is all about maximizing his contractual value, the New England Patriots should be at the top of his wish list.
In the case of Myles Garrett, he has stated the desire to play for a contender, which limits the Cleveland Browns' trade options. For Hendrickson, his representation actively tried to negotiate for two years before the Bengals finally granted permission to seek a trade.
Considering Hendrickson's production over the last two seasons, he should at least be one of the 10 highest-paid edge-defenders. He's not, though he deserves to be.
Yes, the Patriots are a rebuilding franchise. But they have the league's most available salary-cap space at $118.1 million, per Spotrac. If any team is giving Hendrickson top dollar, it's New England.
With Drake Maye already in place and new head coach Mike Vrabel leading the way, the Patriots should look to make strides after back-to-back four-win campaigns. Hendrickson's acquisition can send a message to the locker room and fanbase that New England is ready to trend upward.
Besides, the Bengals aren't going to move their top pass-rusher to another team in the conference that they may face in the postseason. So, the Buffalo Bills aren't in this conversation despite needing help in that specific area.
The Patriots still aren't a major threat with Hendrickson, but he'll get paid and they'll get better.
Indianapolis Colts
5 of 5
Bengals Get: 2025 14th overall and second-round draft picks; 2026 fourth-round draft pick
Colts Get: Edge Trey Hendrickson; linebacker Germaine Pratt; 2025 17th overall and third-round draft picks
As stated earlier, the Bengals may refrain from the possibility of moving Hendrickson within the conference, unless its to a rebuilding franchise. The Indianapolis Colts aren't exactly rebuilding, but they're not a contender, either.
A deal with Indianapolis makes sense, because the Colts can be viewed as a desperate franchise for the Bengals to dump some salary and significantly improve their overall draft positioning.
Everyone within the Colts organization from general manager Chris Ballard to head coach Shane Steichen understands they have this season to show significant improvement, or someone else will be leading the franchise in 2026.
A year ago, Ballard chuckled after selecting Laiatu Latu in the first round and then stated that the team just got "the best f--king rusher in the draft." Well, Latu didn't quite show that potential in Year 1. He still could. But Hendrickson is a clear upgrade, and that's especially needed with fellow defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo entering free agency and Samson Ebukam coming off a torn Achilles tendon.
Furthermore, the ties that bind lead Hendrickson and current teammate Germaine Pratt to the Colts since their previous defensive coordinator, Lou Anarumo, now serves in the same role for Indianapolis. Hendrickson and Pratt immediately improve the Colts defense at two levels after it finished among the league's bottom four a season ago.
The Colts need to be better. They must be aggressive this offseason. A trade with the Bengals will achieve both goals.
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