Trey Hendrickson landing spots: Where star pass rusher could end up if Bengals deal him before trade deadline

The NFL trade deadline is fast approaching, and rumors are swirling about various players who could potentially be dealt in the days and weeks to come.

One of those players is All-Pro Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson requested a trade multiple times this offseason amid a contract dispute with the team, but the Bengals ultimately did not honor that request and kept him around.

With Cincinnati now 3-4 after a win over the Steelers and potentially back in the mix for a wild card playoff spot, the Bengals might not be inclined to deal Hendrickson. But with the star defensive lineman in the final year of his deal and the team apparently not willing to meet his long-term contract demands, they might also want to get out ahead of things and make sure they don't lose him for nothing in return this coming offseason.

With that in mind, we wanted to create a list of potential landing spots for Hendrickson in the event the Bengals do decide to move him ahead of the deadline.

Carolina Panthers

For the second year in a row, the Panthers have a dreadful pass rush. Last season, they generated pressure on just 25.2% of dropbacks, which ranked dead last in the NFL. This year, they've somehow gotten pressure at an even lower rate: 24.3%, which again ranks dead last in the league. They are in desperate need of anybody who can get to the opposing quarterback. Hendrickson does that better than almost anyone else. The Panthers are surprisingly 3-3 and could look to add some talent at the deadline. With their $17 million or so in cap room, they can add the prorated amount remaining on Hendrickson's $16 million base salary.

Indianapolis Colts

We already know that there's a connection between Hendrickson and the Colts: Indy's defensive coordinator, Lou Anarumo, ran the Bengals' defense when Cincinnati spent big bucks to lure Hendrickson from the Saints; he personally oversaw each of Hendrickson's prolific seasons in the AFC North prior to this one. We also know the Colts could use some help in the pass rush department. They are in the bottom third of the league (tied for 21st) in pressure rate, per TruMedia. Between the need and the personal connection to the coaching staff, it's not hard to connect some dots here if you want to.

Detroit Lions

Detroit actually has a league-average pressure rate so far. (Like, exactly league average. The average pressure rate to date is 35.9% and the Lions have pressured quarterbacks on 35.9% of their dropbacks.) But with injuries mounting on the back end of the defense and some holes up front, it might be wise to lean into the pass rush as a foundation. Pairing Hendrickson and Aidan Hutchinson would give Detroit one of the best pass-rush duos in the league, if not the best. And the Lions have plenty of cap room available to make a move like this if they want to go in that direction: Only the Patriots, Cowboys and Commanders are further under the cap than Detroit at around $26.4 million.

Baltimore Ravens

Stop me if you've heard this before: the Ravens are not getting very much pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They're actually 28th in the NFL in pressure rate, just ahead of the Bengals. They also just traded away Odafe Oweh, leaving themselves even more shorthanded up front than they were due to the various injuries that have afflicted their defensive line. We know the Ravens love to try to buy in on elite players, especially if they come at a somewhat discounted cost. With Hendrickson in the final year of his deal, it's possible he could be had for a mid-round pick. If that's the case, Baltimore should be interested.

Philadelphia Eagles

Speaking of teams that like to buy in on star players at potentially discounted prices, we have the Eagles. Philadelphia's pass rush this year has paled in comparison to what it was a year ago. The defense doesn't look the same and that lack of a dominant defensive line is a big part of it. Pairing Hendrickson on the edge with the likes of Jalen Carter on the interior would go a long way toward restoring the Eagles' advantage up front. We know that Howie Roseman is always looking for any and every avenue to improve his team midseason, and that he's not afraid to swing a major deal to upgrade a position of weakness. This could be one of those opportunities.