It’s been a roller coaster for everyone who follows the Baltimore Ravens the past week, as they went from announcing a trade for Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby to having an introductory press conference for former Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson.
After backing out of the Crosby trade with the Raiders, the Ravens signed Hendrickson to a four-year, $118 million contract. New Baltimore head coach Jesse Minter shared with the media the impact Hendrickson will have on the Ravens’ defense in 2026.
“He’s (Trey) certainly a weapon. He’s proven that. The sack numbers speak for themselves. There’s a lot of different things that he can do for the defense. He’s going to draw attention. Sometimes you have guys that draw attention he’s done before, and other guys have the opportunity to make plays. You have other guys start making plays then less attention goes towards that and then you want to get to the point where you can create as many one-on-one matchups for people as possible, being creative on how we operate, how we set our fronts, and we’ll try to do as many things as possible to create opportunities for Trey to wreck the game.”
Jesse Minter talks Trey Hendrickson impact in 2026
Over his nine-year NFL career, Hendrickson has racked up 236 tackles, 163 quarterback hits, 81 sacks, 74 tackles for loss, 16 pass deflections, and 15 forced fumbles. He has made four Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro selection back in 2024.
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Hendrickson is definitely one of those players who can instantly impact a defense with the leadership and energy he brings to the field. The Ravens haven’t had a pass rusher of his caliber since Terrell Suggs left the franchise.
This was a defensive unit that ranked among the worst pass-rushing defenses in the NFL, with just 30 sacks and 30th overall. Ravens defensive tackle Travis Jones led the way with just five sacks, with no edge rushers getting to the five-sack mark.
Minter was brought in to transform this defense and replicate the success he had in Los Angeles with the Chargers as their defensive coordinator the last two years. His units were ranked in the top 11 in total defense and points allowed in 2024 and 2025.
Hendrickson is the game wrecker the Ravens have needed for a long time and will be able to get this unit back to the days of Suggs, Ray Lewis, and Ed Reed when their defenses were elite.