Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ravens Pivot to Trey Hendrickson Must Happen Now

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Anthony Miller | Last updated Mar 11, 2026 7:37 AM ET

Baltimore Ravens fans are still processing the stunning news that they no longer will have Maxx Crosby on their roster.

The Las Vegas Raiders took to social media to announce that the Ravens had backed out of the trade involving Crosby and made no further comment. It has since been reported that Crosby failed his physical, prompting the Ravens to back away from the deal. Baltimore originally traded two first-round picks to the Raiders for Crosby.

Everyone's minds next turned to the Ravens targeting Cincinnati Bengals free agent edge rusher Trey Hendrickson as their next defensive end. Many wonder whether that is the right move for the Ravens to make.

Should the Ravens target Trey Hendrickson in free agency?

Hendrickson has played in the NFL over the last nine years, starting with the New Orleans Saints and most recently with the Bengals. He has racked up 236 tackles, 163 quarterback hits, 81 sacks, 74 tackles for loss, 16 pass deflections, and 15 forced fumbles in his career.

Hendrickson has done a lot of good in his NFL career, with most of his success coming in the last five years with the Bengals. He has been selected to four Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2024.

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Baltimore now faces the harsh reality that they badly need an edge rusher after the mess of 2025 at the position. The Ravens had only 30 sacks in 17 games, with two teams having fewer. Their leading sack in 2025 was by defensive tackle Travis Jones, with five.

Dre'Mont Jones has signed elsewhere, and Kyle Van Noy is a free agent. The Ravens' only top edge rusher on the team is 2025 second-round pick Mike Green, but he has a lot of work he still needs to do to become an elite pass rusher.

The point is that the Ravens are backed into an uncomfortable corner where they have to get Hendrickson. Their fan base is expecting an improvement at the position, and they were hoping to get an elite pass rusher like Crosby.

Green alone isn't enough to get the Ravens' fans excited about their pass rush; they need to bring in more talent. Hendrickson is a game-changer who can instantly help the Ravens out and will at least be healthy enough to pass a physical and get signed.

Not landing Hendrickson at this point would be catastrophic for the Ravens; it must happen, or it could be a bad look for the fan base in the future. Any bumps on the road could only make things worse for the Ravens.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: