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Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson has asked for a trade. Will Rams and Les Snead make the call?
The Los Angeles Rams biggest need on the roster this offseason remains an edge rusher. After not signing an edge player during free agency, there has been some speculation that the Rams could draft one of the top players in the draft. Those players have ranged from Jared Verse and Laiatu Latu to Chop Robinson.
However, given that mid-first round edge rusher typically don’t hit their stride until year two or three, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Rams pass on an edge player early in the draft. As we know, the offseason doesn’t end for general manager Les Snead in April. Snead has no hesitations when it comes to adding players later in the summer or making a trade. This is how Snead has addressed the edge position specifically with trades for Dante Fowler Jr. and Von Miller in the past.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr., Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher, Trey Hendrickson has requested a trade.
A trade for Hendrickson would make a lot of sense for the Rams. Hendrickson is a veteran pass rusher who fits their timeline and is an impact player. While he is 29, Hendrickson has had double digit sacks in three of the past four years, which included 17.5 sacks last season. His contract is set to expire after 2025. According to NFL.com,
“Hendrickson currently has two years remaining on his current deal. He is set to make $14.8 million in 2024 and $15.8 million in 2025, but neither year has any guaranteed money attached and both count more than $18 million against the Bengals’ cap.”
Hendrickson is looking for more long-term security which is likely why he requested a trade. However, with Tee Higgins also needing a contract, the Bengals have some decisions to make. They won’t be able to keep everybody and cutting an aging edge player could make more sense than moving the second wide receiver in their offense.
At that point, it’s figuring out whether or not the Rams can afford that type of move. The Rams currently have around $8M in effective cap space, but have options to potentially restructure a Matthew Stafford or Cooper Kupp to open up space if needed.
A trade for Hendrickson makes a lot of sense for the Rams. After missing out on the edge market in free agency and not trading for Brian Burns or Haason Reddick, Hendrickson could be their last opportunity for this type of move. Reddick was traded to the New York Jets for a conditional 2026 third round pick, but was on the final year of his contract. Hendrickson may cost more, but a third round pick with a day three pick included in the deal may be enough to get it over the line.
This certainly makes things interesting with the draft on Thursday. Snead has traded for players on draft night...
