Trey Hendrickson's Top Landing Spots in NFL Free Agency After Maxx Crosby Traded to Ravens

Other than members of the Baltimore Ravens front office, no one was happier about the Maxx Crosby trade than Trey Hendrickson because his leverage in free agency went up.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Friday that the Ravens were sending their first-round draft picks in 2026 and 2027 to the Las Vegas Raiders for Crosby.

The ramifications of the trade going into free agency are significant, with Hendrickson generally regarded as the top available pass-rusher. Crosby being taken off the board as a trade target for teams seeking defensive line help only boosts his ability to procure the lucrative long-term deal he has been pursuing for multiple years.

As the NFL's legal tampering period is set to begin on Monday, here are the top landing spots for Hendrickson now that the Crosby situation has been resolved.

Indianapolis Colts

There have been two teams frequently connected to Hendrickson since the 2025 season ended.

The Colts are one of them because of Hendrickson's familiarity with their defensive scheme. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo held the same position with the Cincinnati Bengals for six seasons, overlapping with Hendrickson's tenure with the club from 2021 to '24.

Hendrickson had the best seasons of his career in Anarumo's system. He racked up 112 quarterback hits and 57 sacks, including an NFL-high 17.5 in 2024, in his four years being coached by Anarumo.

The Colts also desperately need an impact pass-rusher. Laiatu Latu led the team with 20 quarterback hits and 8.5 sacks last season. No one else had more than four sacks. DeForest Buckner was the only other player with double-digit quarterback hits (13).

Per ESPN's metrics, the Colts ranked 25th in run-stop win rate and 30th in pass-rush win rate.

Hendrickson isn't a great run defender, but he has been effective in that area in the past. His greatest strength, though, is getting after the quarterback and that's something the Colts didn't do well in 2025.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are the other team that comes up constantly in connection to Hendrickson.

It's no secret Dallas is looking to find a pass-rusher. Schefter reported Jerry Jones was willing to offer a first- and second-round pick to the Raiders for Crosby, but the Ravens beat it out by putting two first-rounders on the table.

Even though the Cowboys' recent free-agent history suggests they won't spend big money for any one player, Jones has at least suggested that approach will change this offseason.

Some projections for Hendrickson's contract are in the range of $84 million to $99 million in total value over three years.

For context in how out of character that type of deal would be for the Cowboys, their total free-agent spending from 2020 to '25 was $54.8 million. That is by far the lowest amount in the NFL, with the Ravens next at $74.4 million.

The Cowboys finished tied for 22nd in sacks (35) and last in points allowed (30.1 per game) last season. They need to attack the defensive side of the ball in free agency and the draft if they want to become a playoff contender in the NFC.

Chicago Bears

The Bears have put themselves into the market for a high-priced pass-rusher over the past week when it seemed like their cap situation might prevent them from being able to spend big money.

Drew Dalman's retirement, DJ Moore's trade to the Buffalo Bills and Tremaine Edmunds' release has the Bears up to $26.6 million in cap space.

They did add Garrett Bradbury in a trade with the New England Patriots to solve their center issue after Dalman's surprise retirement.

Signing Hendrickson would take a big bite out of Chicago's open cap space at a time when the club has several needs on defense, but the easiest way to paper over those deficiencies is with a strong pass-rush.

The Bears had the second-worst pass-rush win rate in the NFL last season. Montez Sweat led the team with 10 sacks, which accounted for nearly one-third of the team's total (35).

There is also a coaching connection that might make Chicago appealing to Hendrickson. Dennis Allen, who is going into his second year as Bears defensive coordinator, worked in the same job with the New Orleans Saints when Hendrickson was drafted by the club in 2017.

Last season was a breakout year for the Bears in Ben Johnson's first year as head coach. The 2026 campaign can be when they solidify themselves as a top-tier NFC contender with the right moves in free agency.