The NFL Free Agency period has started, and we have immediately seen some fireworks. One of the biggest moves of the NFL offseason was Maxx Crosby being traded to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks, but the Ravens backed out after Crosby failed his physical. Instead, they pivoted to signing Trey Hendrickson and were competing with the Colts, Bills, Buccaneers, Commanders, and the Eagles.
ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler reported that Baltimore pivoted to Hendrickson after the Crosby trade fell through. They were competing with the Colts, Bills, Buccaneers, Commanders, and the Eagles. The Colts felt like they were the favorite at one point, the Eagles got involved too late, and the Buccaneers only wanted a short-term deal. The profile fit the Bills well, but the Ravens gained the upper hand over all of them.
Trey Hendrickson signed a four-year deal worth $112 million with the Baltimore Ravens and sealed the deal by heading to an AFC North rival after leaving the Cincinnati Bengals. Baltimore offered Hendrickson $28 million per year, while Indianapolis' offer was closer to $25 million annually.
ESPN's Colts reporter Stephen Holder said, “On Colts and Trey Hendrickson, per sources: IND made what it hoped was a competitive offer. Colts were in the mix as of Tues. After the Maxx Crosby trade dissolved, the Ravens' offer turned things upside down. The Colts wanted to be closer to $25M/year. Baltimore’s deal is for $28M/yr.”
It is worth noting that after the Ravens scrapped the trade for Maxx Crosby due to an injury, they are signing Trey Hendrickson, who himself dealt with a shortened season last year. Still, when healthy, he's one of the most dominant and productive pass rushers in football and should make an immediate impact on the Ravens' defense.
The Bills seem like the odd man out in this deal because it happened only for Baltimore, since the Crosby trade fell through in the first place. The Buccaneers also seemed to be a factor, but the dealbreaker was the short-term vs. long-term nature of the deal.
