The Trey Hendrickson-to-Detroit hype just got a whole lot louder.
After months of trade speculation, the Cincinnati Bengals star pass rusher confirmed Monday that the team isn’t communicating with him about a new contract.
“Rather than using collaboration to get us to a point to bring me home to the team, THEY are no longer communicating. I have been eagerly awaiting a resolution of this situation, but that’s hard to do when there is no discussion and an evident lack of interest in reaching mutual goals,” Hendrickson said in the statement.
That’s not nothing. In fact, it’s the clearest sign yet that Hendrickson — fresh off a First-Team All-Pro season with 17.5 sacks — is very much available.
And guess who’s being listed as the top potential landing spot?
Yup. Your Detroit Lions.
Why the Lions Make Sense
Let’s lay it out:
- Detroit needs another edge rusher. The Lions didn’t address it early in the draft. They let Za’Darius Smith walk. And while Aidan Hutchinson is a force, he can’t do it alone.
- Hendrickson is elite. He’s not just productive — he’s relentless. With 17.5 sacks last year, he was one of the NFL’s most disruptive defenders.
- They have the cash. Detroit holds over $40 million in 2025 cap space, giving GM Brad Holmes flexibility to pull the trigger and extend Hendrickson.
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin sees it too. He called Detroit a “prime landing spot” and questioned why the team didn’t go harder after a pass rusher in April. The opportunity to fix that now? It’s sitting right there.
What’s Holding It Back?
Money — and maybe Cincinnati’s pride.
The Bengals don’t seem ready to negotiate. That might make things messy. But from Detroit’s perspective, this is exactly the type of win-now move that could push them over the top in the NFC.
Cap logistics? Manageable. Locker room fit? Perfect. And Hendrickson’s work ethic? Let’s just say Dan Campbell would absolutely love this guy.
Pairing Hendrickson with Hutchinson = Nightmare Fuel
Let’s dream for a second.
- Aidan Hutchinson coming off one edge.
- Trey Hendrickson tearing through the other.
- Alim McNeill, Tyleik Williams, and Josh Paschal collapsing the pocket from inside.
Good luck, opposing quarterbacks.
Detroit’s defense made huge strides last season — but they still lacked consistent pressure outside of Hutchinson. This move wouldn’t just fix that. It could turn the Lions into a Super Bowl-level defense.
The Bottom Line
The Lions are built to win now. And landing a player like Hendrickson would be a blockbuster move with real impact.
With cap space available, a defensive need, and a franchise ready to break through, the stars are aligned.
Brad Holmes has already made bold moves this offseason. Adding Trey Hendrickson could be his biggest yet.
