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Two contenders that should pursue Hendrickson following latest report

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

Two contenders that should pursue Bengals' Trey Hendrickson following latest report

By Conor Killmurray | Last updated Nov 2, 2025 6:52 PM ET

The Cincinnati Bengals can't seem to make up their mind when it comes to whether they want to keep their best defensive player, Trey Hendrickson. After being adamant that the 30-year-old defensive end wasn't available for a trade, the team is listening to calls now.

According to Fox NFL insider Jay Glazer, the Bengals were telling teams inquiring about Hendrickson's trade availability that it was a "hard no" — until a few days ago. The team's change of heart may be additionally bolstered by the 47-42 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, putting the team at 3-6.

Trading Hendrickson also makes sense, considering that a prolonged contract battle over the summer led to a one-year, $30M contract. With quarterback Joe Burrow under center, it was still imperative that the team keep its best playmaker on defense. Now, with Burrow missing the majority of the year due to a turf toe injury, Cincinnati's season is effectively over.

Now is the best time to get trade value out of Hendrickson before the trade deadline (Nov. 4, 4 p.m. ET). But which teams should be picking up the phone and making a serious offer for the All-Pro pass rusher?

"It seemed like a hard no about a week or so ago, and now it's not."

The Bengals are now open to trade talks surrounding Trey Hendrickson, per @JayGlazer pic.twitter.com/TBTIO3NBiE
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 2, 2025

Why the Philadelphia Eagles should trade for Trey Hendrickson

The Eagles are the reigning champions and have a real chance to make back-to-back appearances in the Super Bowl. So far this year, though, they've lacked an edge on defense. In 2025, the Eagles' defense has recorded just 16 sacks so far.

This unit doesn't look like the one that sacked Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes six times to win a championship last year. To try to fix their pass rush, the Eagles brought defensive end Brandon Graham out of retirement. While Graham can help, the 37-year-old is hardly the game-changer he once was. Hendrickson would instantly be the best defensive end on their roster.

With Philadelphia in win-now mode with a core group of players locked in to multi-year contracts, it can also afford to lose the multiple picks it would require to bring Hendrickson over. A second-round draft pick is not as essential to the Eagles as finding a way to remain a contender for this season.

Why the Indianapolis Colts should trade for Trey Hendrickson

The Colts are the biggest surprise of the 2025 NFL season. Their defense has 26 sacks, and that can certainly be attributed to the offense giving the defense a big enough lead in almost every game for them to be able to pin their ears back and rush the passer.

On Sunday, though, Indianapolis lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-20, in part due to six turnovers. The Colts defense sacked Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers three times, but that wasn't enough against the Steelers defense, which sacked Indianapolis quarterback Daniel Jones five times.

As the season goes on, the Colts offense will face more struggles as defenses adjust to them and they continue to play tougher competition. The team will have to find ways to win defensive battles and stay in the game when the offense falters. With Hendrickson, the Colts would get a stalwart pass-rusher to complement their front and make them a more serious contender.

Conor Killmurray

Conor Killmurray is a long-suffering fan of New York sports, particularly the Giants and Mets—a potent combination for heartbreak, if you ask him. He graduated from West Chester University with a degree in English and enjoys searching for the most interesting sports stories to write about.

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