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4-time Pro Bowl pass rusher may be available for trade. Should the Bears bite?

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI
By Pete Martuneac | Last updated May 12, 2025 1:04 PM ET

Give Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles his flowers. He's pulled on every lever available to him to improve his team. From hiring the right coaches to making big swings in trades and free agency, the Bears look like a legit playoff contender. But Poles could not fix every roster issue in a single offseason, and one group that was mostly ignored is the defensive end position.

That could change with just one trade.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that defensive end Trey Hendrickson, a 4-time Pro Bowler and 2-time All-Pro, is not in any communication with the Cincinnati Bengals regarding a new contract, which he has more than earned. If actions speak louder than words, the Bengals are telling Hendrickson exactly how much they value his services.

Read his full statement below:

Trey Hendrickson statement today to ESPN: “No communication has taken place between my camp and the organization post draft. The offers prior to the draft did not reflect the vision we shared and were promised last offseason if I continued to play at a high level. Coaches are… pic.twitter.com/2MKBL60ATg
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 12, 2025

Trey Hendrickson would send the Bears' expectations in 2025 sky-high

As I mentioned above, GM Ryan Poles has made vast improvements to several position groups, but he failed to acquire an impact player to pair up with Montez Sweat. If the Bengals are truly worlds apart when it comes to a new contract for Hendrickson and they start taking calls on his availability, Poles has a duty to at least inquire.

By adding Hendrickson, the Bears would turn arguably their only real weakness on defense into a strength. With Dennis Allen in charge, it would be Chicago's best unit since 2018. Most importantly, this trade would officially signal that the Bears are in win-now mode. They could even become the preseason favorites to win the NFC North for the first time in seven years if they add the kind of quarterback terrorizer that Hendrickson is.

The only problem would be figuring out the financial aspect. After an offseason of big spending on the offensive line (and potentially more to come with a Joe Thuney extension still on the table), the Bears find themselves with less than $7 million available in 2025, according to Over The Cap, and they still have to sign their three second-round picks.

But winners in the NFL prove time and time again that where there's a will, there's a way. If Poles finally wants to start reversing his dismal record in Chicago (15-36), then this is the kind of thing he needs to start getting comfortable doing. There are plenty of tools in the GM's toolbox; he just has to get creative.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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