It feels unlikely that Hendrickson will return to Cincinnati after this past offseason’s public standoff. The Bengals refused to honor his trade request and revised his contract instead of giving him a new deal.
If Hendrickson does hit the open market, the Indianapolis Colts would provide him with a very logical landing spot. Indy will be hoping to reenter the playoff picture after this season’s collapse. The Colts could also use an edge-rusher of Hendrickson’s caliber after notching a good-not-great 39 sacks through 16 games.
Indianapolis also happens to employ former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo in the same position. Assuming Anarumo is back next season—he’s generated some head-coaching buzz this year—reuniting him with Hendrickson would make a ton of sense.