Raiders Could be the Frontrunners for Trey Hendrickson
Whether the Cincinnati Bengals trade defensive end Trey Hendrickson remains a mystery. However, there executives that do believe that the Raiders are a favorite for Hendrickson. A move like that would catapult the Raiders and make them a much more competitive opponent in the 2025 season.
Raiders, Hendrickson Linked Together
According to Hondo Carpenter, who is the SI beat writer for the Raiders has been told something juicy. According to an executive, he believes that the Raiders are the favorite to land the star defensive end. In his words, “Carroll isn’t afraid to doing anything that could improve the team.”
Pair that with Mark Davis and Tom Brady wanting to win now and John Spytek not being afraid to make a move. As a fan of this team that has put me through the wringer the last few years, this would be music to my ears. Not to mention, if there a a GM I trust more to making this move, it’s Spytek.
Spytek has had a great first run with the team. He’s made the right moves in terms of free agency and his draft has been a masterclass so far. It’s early, but there is a lot of promise with this class and those players will play prominent roles. But from the perspective of Hendrickson, the Raiders will get a game changer and a huge improvement in the pass rush.
Hendrickson Makes Raiders More Dominant
There is no denying that Hendrickson would make the Raiders better. On one side, the Raiders have one of the most dominant edge rushers in football with Maxx Crosby. Crosby has a motor that doesn’t slow down and ranks seventh in sacks since 2020. As for Hendrickson, he ranks third in the list with 70. Imagine the Raiders having that dynamic duo rushing the pass? Very appetizing. Hendrickson is coming off his second straight 17.5 sack season and also led the league this year.
When you diagnose the Raiders pass rush, it’s Crosby and then you are hoping Malcolm Koonce blossoms into the player you thought he would last season before he got hurt. Koonce has alot of promise and a strong eight sack breakout in 2023. The coaching staff loves his work ethic, and he is slated to be on the opposite side of Crosby. As much promise as Koonce has, adding Hendrickson would make the team better now and the future.
The Cost to Landing Hendrickson
End of the day, it is all about convincing the Bengals to move the player. Sure, they’ll listen but you have to sweeten the pot a bit. In the article linked above, the projected ask for Hendrickson is a draft pick and a player or multiple picks. As the entire football world saw, the Bengals had one of the best passing offenses in the sport, while their defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed. The Raiders have talent to give, so we shall see where that lands them.
There is another side to this. Hendrickson wants to get paid and in guaranteed money. More than what he currently is and given the production, it makes sense. The Raiders not only could be aggressive in the pursuit trade wise, but they have the money. According to Spotrac, the Raiders have roughly $35 million in salary cap space. It could be enough to lure him in and give him the money he deserves. Whether it happens remains to be seen, but if this executive is right, Hendrickson and the Raiders could be a happy marriage.