Will the Bengals bring back Trey Hendrickson?
By: Jake Rajala
Trey Hendrickson went from an average mid-round pick at defensive end from the New Orleans Saints to a future Hall of Fame pass rusher with the Bengals. Hendrickson unleashed 17.5 sacks in 2023 and 17.5 sacks in 2024 (which led the league). He only notched four sacks, eight QB hits, and one forced fumble, in several games this season. With that said, Hendrickson will be a free agent this offseason. So, the question is: Should the Bengals bring back Trey Hendrickson?
Honestly, I’d like to see the Bengals try and pull off a trade for Maxx Crosby (who is a few years younger than Hendrickson) before trying to ink Hendrickson. He is arguably better than Hendrickson, too. If they can swing for the fences and reel in Crosby, I’d still like to see them bring back Trey. The Houston Texans have the NFL’s best defense because they have two prolific edge rushers! Will Anderson recorded 12 sacks last season and Danielle Hunter had 15 sacks!
The Bengals ranked 23rd in sack last season. If they want to take down the likes of Josh Allen, Drake Maye, and Patrick Mahomes, they need more help at hunting down opposing QBs. Sure, Joe Burrow can lead the league in passing yards and touchdowns (as he did in 2024). They still aren’t going anywhere unless they can slow down opposing offenses. Burrow is starting to realize how Drew Brees felt for many years with a bottom shelf defense.
The key to winning the Super Bowl is terrorizing the opposing QB with four DL. Then they don’t have to blitz and worry about the other QB throwing where the blitzer came from. The Hawks took down Drake Maye six times! They had two defensive linemen each record a pair of sacks.
If Hendrickson doesn’t return to Cincy, I could see him joining the Detroit Lions and causing chaos alongside Aidan Hutchinson. I have more faith in the Lions winning the Super Bowl than the Bengals. The Bills are also a logical option for him, especially with Joey Bosa entering free agency.
When it’s all said and done, I expect Trey to be in the Hall of Fame. I’d say he’s a borderline Hall of Fame right now, but I believe he will add 2-3 more Pro Bowl nods. I don’t quite believe he will be a first ballot Hall of Famer, however. If he wins a Super Bowl and makes a few more AP nods, than I expect him to be a first ballot HOFer. That sounds unrealistic for Hendrickson at age 31.
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