Seven Potential Trade Destinations For Bengals ED Trey Hendrickson

The best player expected to potentially be available on the trade market this year is Cincinnati Bengals ED Trey Hendrickson. After all the very public negotiating and trade talks over the summer, the Bengals did manage to strike a compromise deal with Hendrickson right before the start of the season. He’s still only under contract for this year, however, leading to speculation that the Bengals might be open to moving him.

All summer, Hendrickson was holding out of training camp and demanding a new deal. He was sitting about $20 million below the top of the market for his position despite leading the league in sacks between 2023 and 2024. He was significantly underpaid, but the Bengals almost never hand out third contracts. They were at an impasse, and at one point Hendrickson even left the state to make a statement.

Eventually, a revised deal was agreed upon by both parties. Hendrickson is still playing on an expiring deal, but he received an $8 million bump in salary and more in guarantees. When he signed the contract, only T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, Danielle Hunter, Maxx Crosby and Nick Bosa had a higher average annual value among edge rushers (Micah Parsons has since been added to that list).

Despite all the offseason drama, Hendrickson is putting together another monster season. He has 15 tackles, four sacks, a forced fumble and a pass defensed on the year. PFF grades him as the ninth-best edge rusher through six games, with an elite 90.4 pass rush grade and 23 pressures. Hendrickson is every bit still a game-changing pass rusher, even though he’ll turn 31 later this season.

Back when there were trade talks going down late in the summer, the Bengals were believed to be asking for a first-round pick and a young defensive player in return for Hendrickson, though that player didn’t necessarily have to be a pass rusher. Cincy drafted Shemar Stewart in the first round this year to be Hendrickson’s long-term replacement, and Stewart’s flashed in limited playing time. He’s not Hendrickson though.

At the time, insiders doubted whether Cincinnati could recoup a first-round pick in a trade, as they lost quite a bit of leverage by not dealing Hendrickson prior to the draft. The balance may have shifted back slightly in their favor, as there are plenty of contenders who are desperate to add a pass rusher, but the Bengals are stuck, too. If they don’t trade Hendrickson now, they risk him walking in free agency next year, and they’ll have gotten nothing out of it.

Any trade for Hendrickson will require at least a second-round pick and probably a player too. There’s a chance the Bengals will insist on a first-round pick, and they might get one. There are other pass rushers sure to be available on the market, but it’s rare for one of Hendrickson’s caliber to shake loose. When they do, it usually takes quite a haul to get them in the building.

Trading Hendrickson would create...