NFL Trade Rumors: Bengals' Trey Hendrickson Drawing 'Quite a Bit of Interest'

Multiple teams are reportedly interested in acquiring defensive end Trey Hendrickson now that the Cincinnati Bengals have granted his request to seek a trade.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe reported Friday the Bengals have received "quite a bit of interest in a potential trade" for Hendrickson.

Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz meanwhile reported that "several teams" including the Washington Commanders and Atlanta Falcons would be interested in trading for the defensive end.

Hendrickson leads the NFL with 35.0 sacks over the last two seasons. He has one year and a $18.7 million cap hit remaining on his current contract, per Spotrac.

The Bengals could save $16 million in cap space by trading him, per Spotrac.

Hendrickson requested a trade following the 2023 season after the Bengals declined to offer him a long-term extension, per ESPN's Ben Baby.

He ultimately rejoined the Bengals for the 2024 season, during which he led the NFL with 17.5 sacks. The next closest leader, the Cleveland Browns' Myles Garrett, totaled 14.0 on the season.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin told the Cincinnati Enquirer's Kelsey Conway at the Pro Bowl in January that Hendrickson had "earned a pay raise and a bump in an extension."

“We’re cognizant of that, and we will give that to him. But whether we agree on what that looks like is, is what is to be determined," Tobin added.

Amid the Bengals' announcements of an extension for tight end Tanner Hudson and a franchise tag for Tee Higgins, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday the Bengals had granted Hendrickson permission to seek a trade.

Spotrac estimates Hendrickson's next contract as a two-year, $60 million deal. The Commanders already have the cap space to accommodate that kind of deal, per Over the Cap, but the Falcons would need to clear out salary in order to offer him an extension in that range.

Given that Hendrickson is coming off back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons, however, the Falcons might not be the only organization who would consider clearing out cap space in order to add one of the NFL's top pass rushers.