Barring a drastic, overnight change of mind, it’s difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel for Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals.
The star pass-rusher, who has totaled 17.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons, requested a trade in March and isn’t taking part in the Bengals’ offseason program. Meanwhile, the Bengals signed wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase (four-year, $161 million deal) and Tee Higgins (four-year, $115 million deal) and tight end Mike Gesicki (three-year, $25 million deal) to new deals. They also drafted Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart with the No. 17 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Hendrickson, who ranked fifth among edge defenders with a 90.4 pass-rush grade and eighth with an 88.1 overall grade last season, according to Pro Football Focus, is one of the elite defensive ends in the NFL and can help transform any defense from the jump.
With that in mind, here are the three best trade destinations for Hendrickson, who’s set to hit the open market after the 2025 season.
Trey Hendrickson requested a trade in March. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Colts are in no man’s land. They’ve won eight-plus games in back-to-back seasons but also missed the playoffs in each of the last four. An area that could still use improvement? Their pass rush.
Last season, the Colts totaled 36 sacks, which was tied for 25th in the NFL. That’s where Hendrickson enters the chat. The star defensive end has posted double-digit sacks in four of the past five years. He’d join a defensive end group that includes Kwity Paye, who has blossomed into a reliable starter, 2024 first-rounder Laiatu Latu and 2025 second-rounder JT Tuimoloau. While the Colts have depth off the edge, Hendrickson would immediately become the featured part of the Colts’ defense, which is now under the direction of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who, by the way, was Hendrickson’s defensive coordinator with the Bengals from 2021-24. He’d strengthen a reputable part of this roster but, furthermore, make it their identity.
The 2025 season is pivotal for third-year head coach Shane Steichen and the Colts, especially with the quarterback battle between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. They’ve gotten better in the back end of their defense by signing Cam Bynum (four-year, $60 million deal) and Charvarius Ward (three-year, $54 million deal) this offseason. Going for the jugular and getting Hendrickson would finish off a defensive facelift and could give Indianapolis a top-10 defense.
All that said, the Colts may view their future, particularly at quarterback, as too volatile to trade as much as a future first-rounder and give out a mammoth contract thereafter for an impact player.
Trey Hendrickson has logged 17.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Panthers gave up the most total yards (404.5 per game), rushing yards (179.8 per game) and points (31.4 per game) in the NFL and were tied for 29th with 32 sacks last season. Needless to say, Carolina could use help off the edge.
Now, the Panthers got better in their front seven this offseason by signing defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton and linebacker Patrick Jones, who each totaled a career-high in sacks last season, with 6.5 and seven sacks, respectively. In the draft, Carolina took a pair of defensive ends, Nic Scourton at pick No. 51 and Princely Umanmielen at No. 77. But they still don’t have a blue-chip pass-rusher who can get them off the field on third down. Know who is a proven blue-chip pass rusher?
Hendrickson would become the leader of the Panthers’ defense, giving them somebody whom defenses have to game-plan for. This is a five-win team that was previously coming off a two-win season. Ultimately, whether quarterback Bryce Young pans out looms greatest for Carolina, but if its defense continues to be one of the worst in the league, the franchise can only do so much.
Maybe Jones builds on his 2024 campaign, D.J. Wonnum stays on the field and one of Scourton and Umanmielen impresses in their rookie campaign. But adding Hendrickson to the mix takes the pressure off that collective bunch to all have standout seasons and gives Carolina the jolt that its defense needs.
What could stop the Panthers from making a deal for Hendrickson, though, is their potentially feeling they have to be closer to playoff contention to surrender significant draft assets against the backdrop of the haul it gave up to get Young two years ago – two first-rounders, two second-rounders and wide receiver D.J. Moore.
Trey Hendrickson has been a Pro Bowler in each of his four seasons with the Bengals. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
It’s go time for the Cardinals. Jonathan Gannon is entering Year 3 as head coach, the franchise continues to roll with Kyler Murray, and they used their 2023 and 2024 first-round picks on offense (offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.). Hendrickson would help lift a defense that was middle-of-the-pack in 2024 to a top-tier one in 2025.
Arizona totaled a respectable 41 sacks last season, which was tied for 13th in the league. Then again, linebacker Zaven Collins led the Cardinals with just five sacks. More is needed in that department. Drafting Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen III with the No. 16 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and signing linebacker Josh Sweat to a four-year, $76.4 million deal are impact moves. Acquire Hendrickson and the Cardinals have one of the best pass-rushes in the NFL.
Hendrickson and Sweat would be an elite edge-rusher combination, with their pairing emphatically solving a shortcoming in Arizona’s defense. Edge rusher is one of the few undisputed premium positions in the sport. Sweat’s $19.1 million average annual salary is manageable, and paying Hendrickson near top-dollar ($30-35 million per season) is worth the price of admission.
The needle is pointing upward for the Cardinals, but all three teams in their division, the NFC West, have reason to be internally bullish on 2025, too; the Los Angeles Rams reached the NFC divisional round last season; the Seattle Seahawks have won nine-plus games in each of the past three seasons; the San Francisco 49ers are a year removed from getting to the Super Bowl.
Arizona has to rise at some point, and that time is now. Hendrickson would give the Cardinals tangible reason to believe they can win the NFC West and then some next season.
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