Trey Hendrickson Trade Update: AFC Team Considered 'Frontrunner' to Land Bengals Star

Could Bengals star defensive end Trey Hendrickson be on the move?

If the Bengals trade Hendrickson, the Las Vegas Raiders are considered the favorites to land the All-Pro one NFL executive told Hondo Carpenter of Raiders On SI.

“I have no doubt the Raiders are the frontrunners," an NFL executive told Carpenter. "Tom Brady and Mark Davis want to win now, and John (Spytek) has no fear when it comes to making bold moves. The kid (Hendrickson is 30), that move is the mentality of Pete Carroll; he’s not afraid of anything that could improve the team.”

It's an intriguing idea. The Raiders signed Maxx Crosby to a three-year, $106.5 million extension in March. Pairing Hendrickson and Crosby would give Las Vegas the best pass rushing duo in the NFL.

Is iIt Realistic?

The Raiders have over $34 million in cap space. They would be able to absorb Hendrickson's contract and give him a new deal that would make him one of the NFL's highest-paid pass rushers.

The Bengals would reportedly want a young player and at least one draft pick in exc hange for Hendrickson.

Would they be interested in former first round pick Tyree Wilson? What about a young offensive lineman like Jackson Powers-Johnson, Charles Grant or Caleb Rogers?

The Raiders have all of their picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. If the Bengals didn't get a young player in return, then they'd certainly want multiple draft picks in exchange for Hendrickson.

Will Bengals Trade Trey?

The Bengals are offering Hendrickson a contract in the $35 million per year range, but the deal lacks guarantees the star pass rusher is looking for.

Despite all of the rumblings about a possible trade, it's important to remember what Bengals owner Mike Brown said last month when asked about Hendrickson's future.

“We aren’t going to trade Trey," Brown said. "We’re working to get Trey re-signed as we speak. Our guys are in the office working to get that done. And I think it will get done.”

It hasn't gotten done yet, but Brown reiterated his confidence during his time with the media.

"We like Trey as a person," Brown noted. "He's a good guy, but when it comes to these negotiations, and we've been through a few of them with him, he pushes hard, he gets emotional. We never have an easy time of it. But there's one thing that is consistent. It always gets done, and I think this one will but we'll see. I've been proven wrong before, but I have pretty high confidence that we'll get there at the end."

Will they come to an agreement?

Are the Bengals willing to give the star pass rusher more money upfront to offset the lack of guaranteed money? Will Hendrickson decide to take the deal that's on the table?

The clock is ticking. The Bengals play the Browns in the regular season opener on Sunday, Sept. 7 in Cleveland.

Never say never on a trade, but it appears unlikely. Check out the full report from Raiders On SI here.