Trey Hendrickson’s Top Landing Spots after Bengals DE’s Rumored Trade Request

Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin has his work cut out for him after Trey Hendrickson joined Tee Higgins in requesting a trade from the team.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Wednesday the three-time Pro Bowler made his request because the Bengals have been unwilling to meet his request for a new long-term contract.

Per The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr., the Bengals “have zero intention” of trading Hendrickson because they want to compete for a Super Bowl next season.

Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer added that Hendrickson is also considering retirement, but he remains hopeful the Bengals will reconsider their position and sign him to an extension.

Even if we operate on the assumption that Hendrickson won’t get dealt or retire, the intrigue of Hendrickson making his request on the eve of the 2024 NFL draft at least opens up some possibilities that the Bengals should consider.

Hendrickson would presumably bring back a strong return for Cincinnati. He’s under contract for two more seasons with base salaries of $14.8 million in 2024 and $15.8 million in 2025.

Considering Hendrickson ranks third in the NFL with 53 sacks over the past four seasons, combined with his current below-market salary for a top-tier EDGE rusher, there are several teams that should be calling the Bengals to at least test their resolve.

Here are the best potential landing spots for Hendrickson if a trade were to materialize.

There is an argument that trading for another pass-rusher six months after acquiring Montez Sweat from the Washington Commanders isn’t the best use of resources for the Chicago Bears.

Even with Sweat in the fold long-term after signing a four-year, $98 million extension shortly after the trade, the Bears still desperately need another defensive end. Sweat was the only player on their roster who had more than five sacks last season.

The Bears have been connected to pass-rushers with their second pick at No. 9 overall. They met with Alabama’s Dallas Turner and Florida State’s Jared Verse during the pre-draft process.

Trading for Hendrickson, while expensive in terms of the money it would cost to re-sign him, would solve Chicago’s need for a second EDGE with Sweat. It would also give the team one of the best pass-rushing duos in the NFL.

Perhaps the biggest reason to do it, though, is because it would allow the Bears to add a receiver with the ninth pick and not think twice about it. Caleb Williams, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick, made it known he was on the same flight to Detroit for the draft as Rome Odunze.

The Bears still have $22.8 million in cap space, so they can fit Hendrickson’s deal on their roster.

Trying to build a package that would entice the Bengals is difficult because the Bears have traded away several picks already to upgrade their roster. In addition to the Sweat deal, which cost them a second-rounder, they sent a fourth-rounder to the Los Angeles Chargers for Keenan Allen.

The Bears only have four picks in this year’s draft. After the ninth selection, they don’t come on the clock again until pick No. 75 in the third round.

Cincinnati will almost certainly be looking for a pick this year to move on from Hendrickson in order to keep its chances of fielding a Super Bowl-caliber roster strong.

The first team that should be on the phone trying to test the Bengals’ resolve is the Atlanta Falcons. Vic Beasley is the last Falcons player to record at least 10 sacks in a season when he had 15.5 in 2016.

Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree tied for the team lead with 6.5 sacks last season. Both of those players are currently free agents.

Atlanta hasn’t finished higher than 21st in sacks in a single season as a team since 2017 (tied for 13th).

If the Falcons stay in their current draft position at No. 8, it wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone if they take one of Turner, Verse or Laiatu Latu. Even if they come away with one of those players at that spot, having a proven veteran on the other side of the defensive line wouldn’t be a bad thing.

New Falcons head coach Raheem Morris comes from a defensive background and could make that side of the ball a big focus in the draft.

The offense looks to be in a good place on paper with the addition of Kirk Cousins in free agency to elevate a skill-position group that includes Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson.

The Falcons are in a tight spot with $5.7 million in cap room, but they can free up more than $9 million by restructuring the deals for either Jake Matthews or Chris Lindstrom.

Atlanta has eight picks in the 2024 draft, including an extra third-rounder from the Jacksonville Jaguars as part of the Calvin Ridley trade.

After trading away Sweat and Chase Young during the 2023 season, the Commanders are crying out for anyone who can get after the quarterback.

Washington’s free-agent signings didn’t do much to solve that issue. Clelin Ferrell, Dante Fowler Jr. and Dorance Armstrong were the team’s biggest acquisitions on the edge of the defensive line. Their linebackers are going to be a huge question mark with Bobby Wagner, Frankie Luvu and Jamin Davis set to start for the second level of head coach Dan Quinn’s defense.

Having Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen at defensive tackle does ease some of the pressure to make a bold move, but putting Hendrickson with that duo would make the Commanders extremely formidable on that side of the ball.

The Commanders are almost certainly going to land a quarterback with their first pick at No. 2 overall. They have an extra second-round pick (No. 40 overall) from the Bears thanks to the Sweat trade.

If the Commanders were to use either that pick or their own second-rounder (No. 36) in an offer for Hendrickson, it could be extremely difficult for the Bengals to resist. By keeping one of them, Washington would be able to add an offensive lineman to protect whoever its quarterback ends up being.

The Commanders have more than enough cap space to integrate Hendrickson’s contract without needing to make any changes. Their $43.4 million in cap room is the second-most in the NFL, trailing only the New England Patriots ($54.2 million).