One Stud Pass Rusher Remains for Packers: Trey Hendrickson

The Green Bay Packers failed to address their lackluster pass rush during the first two days of NFL free agency. With most of the top veterans having signed, one All-Pro remains available.

Cincinnati Bengals star defensive end Trey Hendrickson.

Who better to upgrade the inconsistent rush than Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024 and was second with 17.5 sacks in 2023?

The Packers, like most teams, have expressed interest in Hendrickson, who is available in a trade.

Hendrickson is entering his final season under contract with a base salary of $15.8 million. For the Bengals, there’s only so much money to go around on a roster filled by stars on offense. In the aftermath of Myles Garrett getting a $40.0 million per season extension from the Cleveland Browns and Maxx Crosby signing a $35.5 million per season extension from the Las Vegas Raiders, the Bengals granted Hendrickson and his agent, Harold Lewis, permission to seek a trade.

The acquiring team would have to give Hendrickson a contract extension, just like the Pittsburgh Steelers did after acquiring receiver DK Metcalf from the Seahawks.

So, the Packers would have to give up a premium draft pick and a massive contract.

“I don’t see the Bengals moving Trey Hendrickson for less than a second-round pick,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote. “It’s a tricky spot for Cincinnati to be in – finding a team to give up a premium pick and $30 million (or more) per year for a 31-year-old pass rusher isn’t easy. Hendrickson’s camp at one point told the Bengals they could bring home a first-rounder for him, but that hasn’t happened.”

Hendrickson is one of the best players in the NFL – the type of player that could turn a good defense into a great one. A third-round pick by the Saints in 2017, Hendrickson signed with the Bengals in 2020. In four seasons, he’s been selected to four Pro Bowls. He had 14 sacks in 2021 – a career high at the time – eight sacks in 2022 and back-to-back seasons of 17.5 sacks.

In 2024, he set career highs with 19 tackles for losses and 36 quarterback hits to be first-team All-Pro and runner-up for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

He could be the missing piece for a Packers defense that finished tied for eighth with 45 sacks but was 14th in pressures and 17th in knockdowns.

“I think the biggest thing is just the fact we need to affect the quarterback with four (rushers),” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said at the Scouting Combine. “How we do that kind of remains to be seen.

“We had good moments last year, but it just needs to be more consistent. It needs to be able to control the game when we need to control the game and finish games off. I’m excited about the guys we have in the room. We’ll see if we add to it, but that’s got to get better if we’re going to accomplish our goals that we want to accomplish this season.”

It would “get better” if the Packers “add” Hendrickson. Much better.

In 2024, Rashan Gary led the Packers with 7.5 sacks. Green Bay’s primary defensive ends in 2024, Gary (15 quarterback hits), Kingsley Enagbare (4.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits) and Lukas Van Ness (three sacks, six quarterback hits), combined for 15 sacks and 29 quarterback hits.

Hendrickson had more sacks and hits by himself.

Hendrickson, who turned 30 on Dec. 5, rose to stardom in Cincinnati and doesn’t necessarily want to leave.

“I’ve been able to achieve All-Pro honors, Pro Bowl honors,” he said last weekend at a charity event. “It’s been a heck of a ride, and to play with some of the most talented players in the league like Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Sam Hubbard, Logan Wilson, B.J. Hill. I could list every player – Ted Karras is on that list, too. I’m just tremendously blessed, the relationships I’ve made. However it shakes out, there’s nowhere I’d rather be.”

The Packers opened free agency with almost $40 million of cap space after accounting for their draft class, according to OverTheCap.com. They made two big splashes on Day 1 with guard Aaron Banks and cornerback Nate Hobbs. Details of the contracts aren’t in, but the Packers should still have more than $25 million of space.

Plus, they can release or trade cornerback Jaire Alexander, a move that’s been anticipated for a couple months. If the Packers wait until the start of the league-year at 3 p.m. (Central) on Wednesday, they can make it a June 1 designation. Thus, rather than creating an additional $6.84 million of cap space, they’d create $17.20 million. That’s a big difference that could be used for, in theory, a dynamic defender like Hendrickson.

The Packers under Ron Wolf signed 33-year-old Reggie White in free agency in 1993, and he helped turn a rising team into a Super Bowl champion. Hendrickson, White, Mark Gastineau and J.J. Watt are the only players in NFL history with back-to-back seasons of at least 17.5 sacks.

Gutekunst has assembled the youngest team in the NFL the last two seasons. He’s generally been reluctant to pay older players.

“I don’t particularly want to see somebody on the backside of their career,” Gutekunst said at the end of the season. “I don’t think that’s something I’d be particularly interested in.”

Reflecting on White, though, Gutekunst added, “But he wasn’t on the backside of his career by any means, you know? So, I think it just depends on the player and what you think he has in front of him.”