Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson celebrates after a game against the Cleveland Browns. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

3 reasons Cowboys should immediately call Bengals for Trey Hendrickson trade

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Nikki Chavanelle | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 10:43 AM ET

After the Dallas Cowboys' narrow escape against the New York Giants in Week 2, Jerry Jones and the team front office may be feeling the urge to loosen the purse strings.

Dallas signed free agent edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, which Jones announced swiftly after the 40-37 overtime victory, but there's more he could do with roughly $33 million in remaining cap space.

Many are clamoring for the Cowboys to extend kicker Brandon Aubrey's contract after his monster day on Sunday. Others would like to see the secondary add a veteran after giving up 450 passing yards to Russell Wilson.

Dallas could do both of those things and potentially make an even bigger splash.

After the Cincinnati Bengals received the devastating news that starting quarterback Joe Burrow will be out for an extended period of time, maybe up to three months, the vultures are circling.

Sure, the Bengals are 2-0, but not knowing the amount of faith the front office has in backup QB Jake Browning means it couldn't hurt to make a play for one of the team's best – defensive end Trey Hendrickson. It's a good idea for several reasons...

1. Trey Hendrickson is on a one-year deal

Due to his age (30), the Cincinnati Bengals didn't sign 9th-year defensive end Trey Hendrickson to a long-term deal this offseason. Instead of an extension, the two parties had a contract standoff, which eventually ended with a contract restructuring.

Hendrickson is now on a one-year, $29 million deal. He received $2.66 million in signing bonus and he accounts for roughly 9% of the Bengals' salary cap at $25.16 million. Instead of holding on to the veteran for what could be a disappointing season without Burrow, Cincinnati could off-load Hendrickson and begin re-tooling for 2026.

2. Hendrickson is performing at a high level

Trey Hendrickson is worth every penny pic.twitter.com/AHEzrrALHH
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) September 17, 2025

There's no doubt Hendrickson would be an impact player for another team this season if he was traded by the Bengals. He didn't have a full off-season because of his contract dispute and yet the former third-rounder got right back in the groove. He already has two sacks and he leads the league in QB pressures through two weeks with 14.

3. Cowboys signed Jadeveon Clowney to team-friendly deal, and it's a long season

The Cowboys acknowledged the need to add more to the defensive front when they inked Clowney. They also incentivized him with a contract that is very team-friendly but will pay him out $6 million if he hits all his goals. The former first-rounder can still apply pressure but even so, the season is long.

Trading for Hendrickson would give Dallas a starter, making it more likely that Clowney acts as more of a rotational piece. That would boost his performance, extend his longevity and help the Cowboys down the line when injuries overall start to become more of a factor.