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Should Chiefs Be Interested in AFC Rival?
Aug 15, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid reacts to a fourth down stop by the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Bengals and star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson have been going through contract disputes all offseason long, and it's now gotten to a point where they're considering trading him away. Should the Kansas City Chiefs be interested in trading for this AFC rival?

The Pros

There's no question that adding Hendrickson would make the Chiefs' defensive line even better than it already is. George Karlaftis, Chris Jones, and Hendrickson all applying pressure on one side of the offensive line sounds like a nightmare to plan against.

As well, the Chiefs are trying to get the taste of last year's Super Bowl out of their mouth. What better way of doing that than exponentially increasing their chances of making it back next season with a move this aggressive?

Finally, Hendrickson has had a lot of experience. While a trade for him would result in depleted depth and a shorter window of contention for the Chiefs in the long term, it would undoubtedly make them the favorites to make it back to the Super Bowl, and would make their team that much more competitive during the duration of his contract.

The Cons

The first reason why the Chiefs shouldn't be interested in a trade like this is that nobody knows how Hendrickson will play in 2025. He's entering his 30s, and the chance of regression is real. Even if paired with the other star power along their defensive line, the Chiefs aren't in a position where they can afford to overpay on an aging pass rusher.

Secondly, they don't have the cap space necessary to pull this off. Trading for Hendrickson means that they'll have to pay the price for trading him up front, and then once he's traded, he'll obviously be looking for a contract extension.

Finally, and the most glaring issue with this trade, is that the Bengals are asking too much for him. Reports that have come out indicate that the Bengals are looking for first-round compensation as well as a young defensive player.

Even if the Bengals were willing to trade him to one of their biggest rivals in the AFC, which I doubt, the Chiefs wouldn't have the assets they're looking for. They likely wouldn't view their first-round pick with much value, given how good their team would be.

Ultimately, this is a trade that likely won't occur for many reasons. The Chiefs don't have the cap space or the trade assets in place, nor do I think the Bengals would be willing to trade Hendrickson to the Chiefs.

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This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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