Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates a stop in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. The Bengals won 19-17 to finish the regular season at 9-8. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NFL insider urges Seahawks to trade for disgruntled Bengals superstar

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Russell Baxter | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 11:00 AM ET

Mike Macdonald’s first season in the Pacific Northwest in 2024 resulted in a 10-7 finish, but no playoff appearance. The Seattle Seahawks made plenty of changes this offseason, mostly on offense. Could they invest a few draft choices on a player that’s in the middle of a contract issue with his current club?

On Wednesday’s edition of Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk , Mike Salk asked Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network if he would be willing to deal for pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson? He’s currently in a contract dispute with the Cincinnati Bengals. Salk suggested giving up a second- and fifth-round pick for a player that in 65 regular-season games with Cincinnati has totaled 57.0 sacks and 11 forced fumbles.

“I know you’ve got to pay him a bunch of money, but heck yeah, man,” declared Jeremiah. “I’d be in the business of trying to collect great players. (The Seahawks have) a fast defense. They’ve got a very talented defense. But man, you throw in a guy like that who’s gonna get off the bus and get you 12 to 15 sacks because he’s such a good, natural, instinctive pass rusher? And you’re in a division where you’ve gotta go hunt Matthew Stafford? Yeah, 100 percent. I would try and be in on that.”

Jeremiah makes a great point about Stafford. Since he became a member of the Rams in 2021, the Seahawks have faced him five times, and have yet to beat him. A little more oomph when it comes to the pass rush via Hendrickson couldn’t hurt.

“They’re a good defense now,” added Jeremiah. “They’re a fast defense and they’re athletic and they’ve added some more young pieces. But when you get down to it, when you get to third-and-seven and you’re looking at this front, you go, OK, man, there’s a lot of really good players there. But I don’t know that I’m looking at that group saying, OK, this is percent where I’ve got to direct extra attention. And I think he would be that guy.”

It’s been a year of big changes and deals for general manager John Schneider. Does he have one more up his sleeve?

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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