What may have gotten lost this past season amid contract holdouts in camp and an injury-shortened season is that Hendrickson is an elite pass rusher. Across the past three seasons, he ranks in the top five at his position in PFF pass-rush grade on true pass sets (92.5) and is one of just six edge rushers with a pass-rush win rate above 20%. Most importantly, he turns that dominance into sack production, having racked up the third-most sacks (39.0) in the NFL since the start of 2023, despite missing 10 games this season.
As highlighted in our look at the best landing spots for the 10 highest-graded defensive free agents, Hendrickson will be highly sought after on the open market. The Bears profile as a strong next destination, as do the Colts, with whom he would reunite with former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.
The Colts’ inability to generate consistent pressure in 2025 left the defense in a poor spot for much of the season. They finished the regular season ranked just 23rd in pressure rate (34.1%) and 21st in PFF pass-rush grade (68.0). Adding Hendrickson to the mix would help to solidify the defensive front with proven production.