Trey Hendrickson Could Be Perfect Colts Fit

The Indianapolis Colts have been closely linked to Cincinnati Bengals star defensive end Trey Hendrickson for some time now. It's not without reason, as new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo coached Hendrickson for his best four seasons in Cincy.

Hendrickson exploded for 57 sacks in 65 games during those four years, not dipping under 8.0 sacks (2022), an impressive stat for the four-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro (2024). Hendrickson is worth a trade, as he also was a beast of pressure to quarterbacks with 83, leading all defensive ends per Pro Football Focus.

Hendrickson would immediately enhance Anarumo's defense and be surrounded by defensive tackles DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. Fellow defensive ends Kwity Paye, Laiatu Latu, and Samson Ebukam complement Hendrickson well.

Fox Sports thinks a trade for Hendrickson to head to the Colts makes perfect sense: "he'd strengthen a reputable part of this roster but, furthermore, make it their identity."

The Colts can always use more firepower, and Hendrickson has been a monster, especially over the last duo of campaigns. Through 2023 and 2024, Hendrickson has shown elite consistency, tallying 34 sacks with 17.5 in each season.

The problem with Hendrickson is his price tag and the assets that might be required to acquire the ultimate pass rusher. The reason Hendrickson is upset with the Bengals is that Cincy isn't willing to pony up the dough to retain him just yet. Given his price tag, it's not hard to understand why the Bengals are hesitant.

Hendrickson will likely want $30 million or more for his services to be retained, which might not fit the Colts financially. Currently, the Colts have $20,600,401 available to spend, and if Indy traded for Hendrickson, they'd likely structure his contract to accommodate, but what Cincy would desire for additional assets is probably a haul. There's a good chance that Indy would need to give Cincy a first-rounder and other early-round selections.

The Colts aren't necessarily in trouble with their defensive end position, especially after adding J.T. Tuimoloau. But no matter the situation at defensive end for any NFL team, Hendrickson is an otherworldly addition, even if he's over 30 years old.

Hendrickson is clearly upset with the Bengals, but it's expected that Cincy will try their best to work out a deal to keep him on their defense; this is especially true given they lost their long-time coordinator Anarumo to the Colts this offseason and need as much talent as possible on the defensive front.

It will be entertaining to see how Hendrickson's deal drama plays out, or if the Bengals decide to trade him off to the Colts. If Indy can land Hendrickson, he might be surrounded by the best situation he's ever seen, along with his former coordinator, who seemed to bring the best out of him.

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