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The Cincinnati Bengals have had one of the most interesting offseasons in the NFL this summer, and now that is starting to catch up to them as the regular season approaches. Contract holdouts and negotiations became somewhat of a theme of this Bengals offseason, and that is still the primary talking point as Joe Burrow and company get ready for the season.
First is was rookie Shemar Stewart holding out while waiting for some language in his contract to be revised, and the Bengals finally got that done and got their first-round pick on the practice field even if it may have resulted in some unwanted hits on Burrow.
However, the bigger story is star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who has still not signed a contract extension despite holding out for one all offseason. Hendrickson is not practicing while the two sides negotiate a new deal, but there has been no traction on an extension.
Now, the Bengals are reportedly listening to trade offers for the star pass rusher as the two sides fail to get any closer on a deal. Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks and is at 35 over the last two seasons, so there will be many teams lining up at the door to acquire his services. However, it will likely come at a steep cost both in terms of trade assets and financial assets with a new extension.
Here are three teams that should be blowing up the Bengals' phones to try to get a deal done for Hendrickson.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions had a very good defense in 2024 before it was ravaged by injuries, specifically to early-season Defensive Player of the Year contender Aidan Hutchinson. As a result, that very good defense became more and more depleted and got steamrolled by the Washington Commanders in a Divisional Round playoff loss.
Now, the Lions have a lot of work to do on the defensive side of the ball after the departure of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who is now the new head coach of the New York Jets. As a result, the Lions will need some more impact players alongside the returning Hutchinson to help complement new coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.
Adding Trey Hendrickson to this Detroit defense and playing him opposite Hutchinson on the edge would make this group nearly impossible to block. The NFC North is full of talented offenses in the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears, all of whom are led by some of the most elite play callers in the league, but building an elite pass rush is one way to slow them all down.
Hendrickson and Hutchinson would give the Lions the best pass-rush duo in the league and would allow them to do more creative things in the back end, so this is a deal that Detroit should be hot after in the coming weeks.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks completely transformed their defense over the course of their first season with Mike Macdonald at the helm, but adding Hendrickson could be the swing that they need to make to have a truly elite unit. Macdonald is one of the best defensive minds in the sport and that was on full display during the 2024 season.
General manager John Schneider has shown that he is not afraid to pull the trigger on a trade before. One of the moves that changed the Seahawks' fortunes last season was the move to bring in Ernest Jones IV, and the new addition ended up being one of Seattle's best defenders by the end of the season.
If there's one thing that this Seahawks defense needs, it's a true difference-maker up front. Macdonald has Devon Witherspoon to depend on in the secondary to make some of those splash plays, but it's hard to see Leonard Williams matching his incredible production from last season. Adding a star pass rusher on the outside would make it easier for everyone to play at their best.
Trading for Trey Hendrickson would open up opportunities for everyone, including Williams and second-year defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, to be more productive. It would also allow Macdonald to get creative in coverage while knowing that his unit can get pressure rushing just four guys. That is something that could change the Seahawks' fortunes in the NFC West this season.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are always looking to make a splash, and they have already done that this offseason when they brought in Geno Smith in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks to reunite him with Pete Carroll. Las Vegas continued to bolster the offense during the NFL Draft, when it drafted Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty in the top 10.
Now, it could be time to make a splash on the defensive side. The Raiders have a very limited secondary, which could lead to them getting diced up by the rest of the AFC and specifically by Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert in their own division.
What's the best way to cover for a secondary group that doesn't have the talent to match up with most of the units that it has to play against? Build an elite pass rush. That's just what the Raiders would have if they are able to pair Trey Hendrickson with the freshly-paid Maxx Crosby on the defensive line, and it could be enough to turn them into a feisty wild card contender in the AFC.
