Getty Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Trey Hendrickson, arguably the best pass-rusher in football has requested a trade, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Cory Woodroof of USA Today listed five landing spots for the three-time Pro Bowl selection, including the Washington Commanders.
“Bengals three-time Pro-Bowl DE Trey Hendrickson has requested to be traded from Cincinnati, per league source,” Schefter tweeted on April 24. “Hendrickson is due to make $15 million this season, and is looking for more long-term security than Cincinnati has been willing to offer.”
Woodroof wrote that a move for Hendrickson would “kick off this new era of Commanders football” and would become the team’s best defensive player.
“The Commanders are definitely taking the quarterback of the future on Thursday night, but the team needs defensive line help and has the cap space to pay Hendrickson what he wants,” Woodroof wrote. “This would be an outstanding move to help kick off this new era of Commanders football, as Hendrickson would instantly become the best player on the defense and raise this team’s floor.”
How Trey Hendrickson Would Help the Commanders
During the 2023 season for the Cincinnati Bengals, Hendrickson showed his elite ability to get to the quarterback again, posting 17.5 sacks. Since 2020, Hendrickson has an impressive 53 sacks. The 29-year-old finished with the second-most sacks in football in 2023.
The Washington Commanders traded Montez Sweat and Chase Young prior to the trade deadline last season, Losing Sweat and Young was a major hit to a Commanders defense that allowed the most points in the NFL last season with over 30 points per game given up.
Washington also allowed the most yards per game with 388.9, the sixth most rushing yards with 126.8 per game, and the most passing yards with 262.2 per game.
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report viewed the edge position as one that needed to be upgraded for the Commanders this offseason.
“For the last few years, the defensive line was the most promising feature of the Commanders roster.”
“Chase Young and Montez Sweat were supposed to team up with Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne to form one of the scariest defensive lines in the league,” Ballentine wrote in his April 4 column on what every first-year general manager must do to have a successful NFL draft. “Now they don’t have Sweat or Young, but they do have a whole stash of draft picks.”
While they could find replacements in the draft on April 25, adding Hendrickson, who’s proven what he can do at the highest level already, could be the better move.
Commanders Have the Cap Space to Get It Done
The Washington Commanders still have $43.4 million In cap space, according to Over the Cap. That allows for them to make a move for Hendrickson, who’s due $15 million this season.
After having the most cap space in the NFL entering the offseason, the Commanders signed Bobby Wagner, Dante Fowler Jr., Frankie Luvu, and others on the defensive side of the football to improve the unit. Adding another big-time player in Hendrickson would only add to the impressive offseason the Commanders have had.