Bear Digest

Should the Bears trade for Bengals star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson?

If the Cincinnati Bengals can't come to terms on a new contract with Trey Hendrickson, the star sack artist could be made available for trade. Should the Chicago Bears get in the mix?

Bryan Perez

Sam Greene/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
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The Chicago Bears have a pass rush problem. Aside from Montez Sweat, there's no edge defender on the roster capable of striking fear in opposing quarterbacks.

Sweat led the Bears in sacks last season with just 5.5. Gervon Dexter, a defensive tackle, was second on the team with five. The next closest edge rusher on the roster was DeMarcus Walker at 3.5.

Gross.

It's why any reputable Chicago Bears offseason needs list wil rank edge rusher at or near the top.

The 2025 NFL Draft could offer GM Ryan Poles an opportunity to level up the pass rush with the 10th pick in the first round, but another option could eventually present itself: a trade for Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson.

Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks with 17.5. Remarkably, he had 17.5 in 2023 as well. He's had at least 14 sacks in three of his four seasons with the Bengals.

Trey Hendrickson contract situation could force Bengals into a trade

Hendrickson has one year remaining on his contract with the Bengals, and he wants a new deal. According to Spotrac, the highest-paid edge rushers command a salary in excess of $28 million per season.

It doesn't sound like the Bengals are willing to pay.

"Has he earned a pay raise and a bump in an extension … he has," Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said. "We're cognizant of that, and we will give that to him. But whether we agree on what that looks like is, is what is to be determined."

"We can't have guys at the top of the payroll in every position, right?" Tobin said. "We'll do what we can. We'll do what we feel is right, and we will try to get Trey re-signed. It's not giving anybody an extension. It's agreeing with somebody on an extension."

Yikes. That sounds ominous... for Bengals fans. For Bears fans? Consider this an opportunity.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) reacts following penalty flags
Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Bears should explore trade for Trey Hendrickson

The Chicago Bears are a prime candidate to land Hendrickson, assuming they're willing to pay up. They have plenty of salary-cap space to give him the contract he wants, and they have the 2025 NFL Draft capital to swing a deal that would make the Bengals happy.

Cincinnati would happily accept an offer of two second-round picks for Hendrickson; the Bears have two picks in the second round. In fact, I don't think it would even cost that much. If Poles offered a second and fourth-rounder? A deal could get done.

Sweat and Hendrickson pinning their ears back and getting after opposing quarterbacks would be a sight to behold for Chicago Bears fans. And it's a very real possibility, if the Bears want it to be.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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