NFL Analysis
3/7/25
6 min read
5 Trade Landing Spots for Cincinnati Bengals EDGE Trey Hendrickson
Another star player in the NFL has requested a trade, and teams will be hounding the Cincinnati Bengals for a chance to acquire pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.
The 30-year-old had the best year of his career last season, earning first-team All-Pro honors while leading the league with 17.5 sacks. However, with the Bengals focusing on trying to get extensions for Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the team agreed to give Hendrickson permission to seek a trade this offseason.
In a free agent class featuring some productive-but-aging pass rushers, Hendrickson suddenly becomes one of the most coveted assets in the league. While he's an immensely productive player, he's also on the final year of his contract. With the Bengals unable to sign him to an extension, it will likely hurt their ability to get significant draft capital for their 30-year-old star.
With that in mind, let's take a look at a few teams that could make a run for Hendrickson and have a need at pass rusher and the financial flexibility to make the move.
All cap numbers are provided by Over the Cap.
Trey Hendrickson Trade packages
Los Angeles Chargers 
Chargers receive: EDGE Trey Hendrickson
Bengals receive: 2025 third-round pick
The Los Angeles Chargers are completely overhauling their pass rush this offseason after moving on from both Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. That doesn't mean that the Chargers will be content with their in-house options, and they could be in the market to take a swing for another premier pass rusher.
Los Angeles' top pass-rushing option is now Tuli Tuipulotu, who has shown real promise in his first two seasons in the NFL. He has 13 sacks and three forced fumbles, along with 94 pressures, but that won't be enough for LA if he's the team's only option to get after quarterbacks.
Pairing Tuipulotu with Hendrickson could give the Chargers a perfect pass-rush pairing to build around. With more than $90 million in cap space to work with, they could trade for the Bengals star and give him a big long-term extension.
Indianapolis Colts
Colts receive: EDGE Trey Hendrickson, 2025 sixth-round pick
Bengals receive: 2025 third-round pick
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was able to get the best possible version of Hendrickson in the last couple of seasons. It would make sense that the new Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator and his star pass rusher would want to reunite this offseason.
The Colts may have taken Laiatu Latu in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but they still need another impact player to get after the quarterback. The Colts ranked just 21st in pass rush win rate last season, while Latu generated just 38 pressures in his rookie season.
General manager Chris Ballard has never been afraid of spending premium assets on pass rushers. A move like this could get the league's sack leader for a reasonable price in the building with his former defensive coordinator while allowing Latu to continue developing at his pace and learning from one of the league's best players at getting after opposing quarterbacks.
Chicago Bears
Bears receive: EDGE Trey Hendrickson, 2025 second-round pick (No. 49 overall)
Bengals receive: 2025 second-round pick (No. 39 overall), 2025 fourth-round pick
Ryan Poles is clearly trying to bolster the trenches to protect Caleb Williams this offseason, but for the Chicago Bears to become a true playoff contender in 2025, they'll also need to upgrade the other side of the trenches.
The Bears took a big swing two seasons ago at the trade deadline by moving for Montez Sweat. But the talented defensive end took a step backward last year, generating just 49 pressures. Offenses were able to focus in on him without another reliable pass-rushing threat, but that would change by trading for a player like Hendrickson.
Because of their draft capital and cap space, the Bears could get creative with a trade offer by offering a deal that would allow the Bengals to move up a full 10 spots in the second round while throwing in an early Day 3 pick to acquire another star pass rusher.
Green Bay Packers
Packers receive: EDGE Trey Hendrickson
Bengals receive: 2025 third-round pick
A lot of attention on the Green Bay Packers front is surrounding trade rumors for Seattle Seahawks star DK Metcalf. However, if the two sides can't reach a deal, then Brian Gutekunst might turn his attention to getting a premier pass rusher.
Jeff Hafley turned Green Bay's defense around as a first-year defensive coordinator in 2024. However, the team severely lacked a consistent pass rush when only sending four rushers. In fact, they ranked just 26th in pass rush win rate, with no one outside of Rashan Gary showing any kind of consistent ability to get after opposing quarterbacks.
Gutekunst has a type when it comes to pass rushers, preferring big, toolsy players out wide over undersized speed rushers. Hendrickson fits that mold as a 270-pound EDGE and could be a real schematic fit in Hafley's 4-3 base defense, allowing him to continue to be one of the most productive pass rushers in the league.
Arizona Cardinals
Cardinals receive: EDGE Trey Hendrickson
Bengals receive: 2025 second-round pick
The Arizona Cardinals are so starving for a top pass rusher that they might be willing to outbid everyone for a chance to land Hendrickson.
Along with ranking just 28th in pass rush win rate last season, the Cardinals had just one player break 30 pressures, Zaven Collins, with only 31. They haven't had a player break 60 pressures since Chandler Jones in 2019, and something desperately needs to change to fix that.
A second-round pick and an ensuing extension is a lot to pay up for a 30-year-old pass rusher. However, for a team that has a solid defensive scheme without much talent, the Cardinals might as well swing for the fences to bolster a thin pass rush that needs a real difference-maker to put them over the edge.
