Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals was one of the best edge rushers in the league in 2024.
The veteran collected 17.5 sacks and earned an impressive 88.1 Pro Football Focus grade, which ranked eighth among 211 qualified edge rushers. Hendrickson earned a Pro Bowl selection for the fourth-straight season and also earned first-team All-Pro honors for the first time.
However, Hendrickson is one of three Bengals, alongside star receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who needs a new long-term deal. It seems like the Bengals will decide to keep their receiver duo instead of Hendrickson as the edge rusher was granted permission to seek a trade on Thursday.
Hendrickson should immediately interest several teams in need of pass-rush help. Whoever takes the defender on would have to be comfortable giving up draft capital, absorbing Hendrickson’s $18 million cap hit and extending him.
One of the teams thatcould be interested in Hendrickson is the Green Bay Packers. The team made the playoffs in 2024, but could use more difference-makers on defense.
Andrew Buller-Russ of Sportsnaut recently identified the Packers as a realistic landing spot for the sack artist. Regarding Hendrickson and the Packers, Buller-Russ offered the following:
The Packers are expected to make a splashy acquisition this offseason and Hendrickson would certainly qualify. He’d immediately become the team’s best edge rusher and the Packers can afford to pay him what he wants.
As Buller-Russ mentioned, Hendrickson would easily be the best pass rusher on the Packers. Nobody on the defense reached double-digit sacks in 2024, and Kinsgley Enagbare can easily be replaced at one edge spot.
Rashan Gary led the Packers in 2024 with 7.5 sacks, but no other defender collected more than five. Enagbare started opposite Gary and ended with just 3.5 sacks and produced a poor grade of 56 from Pro Football Focus.
Hendrickson will be costly, but the Packers should be willing to take the chance. Hendrickson racked up 17.5 sacks in 2023 as well, and has reached double-digit sacks in four of his eight NFL seasons. He would instantly take Green Bay’s defense to another level.
Spotrac projects Hendrickson to land a two-year extension worth just under $60 million total. Over the Cap projects the Packers to have around $46 million in cap space this offseason, so fitting the edge rusher’s contract in the books is certainly possible.
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