With the NFL Draft approaching and the birth of the Caleb Williams era on the horizon for Chicago Bears fans, is there one more potential trade Ryan Poles could make before the draft kicks off on Thursday?
Defensive end Trey Hendrickson has officially requested a trade from the Cincinnati Bengals. Fresh off a contract extension last season that added another year to his current deal, Hendrickson feels he has already outperformed his new deal after logging 17.5 sacks with the Bengals and earning Pro-Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors.
Hendrickson, 29, spent his first four seasons with the New Orleans Saints before inking a deal with the Bengals before the 2021 season. His 14 sacks helped catapult the Bengals to their first Super Bowl berth in over 30 years, and his efforts have cemented him as a cornerstone in Lou Anorimo's defense.
Hendrickson re-signed last July after a relatively disappointing 2022 campaign, during which he had only eight sacks. Now feeling underpaid and entering his age-29 season, Hendrickson likely wants to cash in one last time before he calls it a career.
The Bears hold the first and ninth picks on Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Though their decision with the first overall pick has been a foregone conclusion for months, the question remains about their strategy at No. 9.
The Bears ranked dead-last in sack percentage in the NFL in 2023. With a mark of 4.64%, the Bears produced nearly half the output of the top team in the league: the New York Jets at 8.42%. Among the top 10 teams in sack percentage, seven made the postseason.
Could Poles make a last-minute trade that sees him part with No. 9 for Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals' 18th overall pick? By moving back a few spots, Poles could turn around and draft a player like Oregon's Jackson Powers-Johnson and, in one fell swoop, address two of the Bears' most significant areas of need in the trenches.
Similarly, he could position himself to take one of the other premier defenders in the draft, such as Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II or Florida State defensive end Jared Verse.
As we enter the home stretch before the draft commences, rumors will begin swirling at a feverish rate, so take everything with a grain of salt. However, if a player like Hendrickson is bound to be moved, it'd be wise for Poles to kick the tires.
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