March 7, 2026, 7:00 p.m. ET
In the wake of the blockbuster Maxx Crosby trade, the market for Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency will be really interesting to watch.
Hendrickson is the top defensive end on the market, if not top overall player.
Notably, some of those things that made the Bengals commit to him long-term and also struggle to find a trade partner still apply: He’s 31 years old coming off an injury and wants a long-term deal.
As always, though, a golden rule applies: It only takes one team.
Over at ESPN, former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum predicted that the team will be the Dallas Cowboys:
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“The Cowboys will sign Trey Hendrickson. He would help to buttress their pass rush, which fell over the cliff after the Micah Parsons trade. Hendrickson was injured for much of last season, but when healthy, he is still one of the best pass rushers in the league.”
It would be pretty fitting to see Hendrickson have an unexpectedly soft market…before Jerry Jones swoops in out of desperation.
No matter what happens, the Bengals won’t get back wth Hendrickson. They are also very unlikely to earn a compensatory pick for his departure, as long as they spend as much in free agency as suggested.
For the Bengals, they would prefer if Hendrickson went to the NFC with the Cowboys or another rumored team.