A big name is off the market, as the Baltimore Ravens have signed former Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson to a 4 year/$112M deal, with an AAV of $28M.
He was originally a 3rd round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2017, before signing with the Bengals in 2021. This would go on to be one of the best signings in franchise history, as Hendrickson quickly became one of the league’s best pass rushers.
His time with the Bengals peaked in 2024, when he led the NFL with 17.5 sacks. Unfortunately, the 2025 offseason was headlined by a contract dispute. The two sides came to enough of a compromise for Hendrickson not to sit out any regular season games, but the relationship was strained. Heading into this offseason, the Bengals decided not to use the franchise tag on him after his season ended prematurely due to injury, instead letting him hit free agency.
After not hearing much during the early portion of the tampering period, Hendrickson finally found a new home on Wednesday, landing with the AFC North rival Ravens. This move came after Baltimore backed out of a trade with the Raiders, which would have seen them send two 1st round picks for Maxx Crosby.
Hendrickson’s Cincinnati tenure concludes with 61 sacks to his name. Now, the Bengals will have to face him twice a year, and will hope to find a way to slow him down.
