It’s been a while since the Baltimore Ravens had a player on defense who could not only wreak havoc off the edge on a consistent basis but also come through in the clutch to help seal a win or come up with a crucial stop to get the ball back for the offense in close games.
The last one they had was nearly a decade ago, and it was none other than franchise all-time sack leader and future Hall of Famer Terrell Suggs. He spent 16 of his 17 seasons in the league in Baltimore, where he established himself as one of the most disruptive and dependable game wreckers of his generation.
During his heyday and even in the twilight of his career, the iconic fan favorite had a knack for coming up with timely plays that would shift momentum in favor of the Ravens or slam the door on their opponents’ hopes. Whether it was a huge sack, a forced fumble, perfectly sniffing out a screen or reeling in a deflected interception, he just knew when he had to turn it on and be in the right place at the right time to make a play.
Suggs’ last season in Baltimore was 2018, and while the Ravens have produced Pro Bowl edge rushers and multiple double-digit sack players at the position, record double-digit sacks in a single season since then, none have come close to having the kind of impact as T-Sizzle.
General manager Eric DeCosta likely had that fact in mind this offseason when he went out and decided to ink four-time Pro Bowl edge defender Trey Hendrickson to the largest free-agent deal in franchise history back in March. This after pulling out of an agreed upon trade for Raiders superstar Maxx Crosby.
Even though he has yet to take the field in a live game as a Raven, the team has been enthralled by what they’ve seen from the 10th-year veteran in practices, especially the joint ones they held with the Minnesota Vikings on the road and the Washington Commanders at home.
“When the lights have come on, [Hendrickson] has brought it,” DeCosta said. “We saw him against the Vikings in practice, [and] we saw him against the Commanders in practice. [Those are] competitive atmospheres, and this guy has really brought it. That is exciting.”
Watching how Hendrickson terrorized the first team offensive lines of those two NFC opponents and how he’s given his own team’s starting unit fits since arriving for Organized Team Activities, the Ravens are confident that he’ll be able to carry over that dominance to the regular season, starting with the Indianapolis Colts on the road next week in the opener.
“That tells me that, when we line up in a few weeks, he is going to bring it,” DeCosta said. “He knows how to play. He has a great attitude. [He’s a] pro all the way. [He’s] competitive [and] great with the younger guys. He is going to be a closer for us, I believe, because I have seen him do it. I saw him do it in Minnesota. I saw him do it here that day.”
During Hendrickson’s introduction, head coach Jesse Minter said the Ravens view him as their closer and even had the stats to back it up, citing that he has the most fourth-quarter sacks since 2021 and was in the lead before a core muscle injury cut his 2025 season short after seven games. The 31-year-old hasn’t disappointed thus far and continues to inspire more confidence in his ability with each passing practice.
“He is everything that we envisioned when we brought him in, and I feel like he is going to be a guy to really help us win games in the fourth quarter,” DeCosta said.
More than just a sack artist
Jul 29, 2026; Ownigs Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Trey Hendrickson (91) during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Hendrickson has reached the double-digit sack threshold in a single season four times in his career and is just one year removed from recording 17.5 in back-to-back years. However, even when the former First Team All Pro isn’t finishing at the quarterback for a sack, he still finds ways to impact the game.
“There are going to be so many plays that he may not necessarily collect a stat on the stat sheet, but affects the play just by how he affects the quarterback,” Ravens defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said. “Sometimes just the sheer fact that he is out there is going to affect the quarterback.”
The more attention Hendrickson draws from opposing offenses, whether it’s with a double team or forcing the running back to aid in pass protection with a chip block before or instead of going out for a route, the more favorable one-on-one matchups it creates for his teammates.
“Sometimes he takes numbers because you have to account for him with a chipper, which works in our favor when you are trying to change the math,” Weaver said. “There are a million reasons why — probably the biggest one to me is just his influence in that room, and who he is as a leader and as a worker. That in itself has made that room so much better.”
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