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Fox News
a day ago
- Sport
- Fox News
3 best trade destinations for disgruntled Bengals star Trey Hendrickson
Barring a drastic, overnight change of mind, it's difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel for Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals. The star pass-rusher, who has totaled 17.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons, requested a trade in March and isn't taking part in the Bengals' offseason program. Meanwhile, the Bengals signed wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase (four-year, $161 million deal) and Tee Higgins (four-year, $115 million deal) and tight end Mike Gesicki (three-year, $25 million deal) to new deals. They also drafted Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart with the No. 17 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Hendrickson, who ranked fifth among edge defenders with a 90.4 pass-rush grade and eighth with an 88.1 overall grade last season, according to Pro Football Focus, is one of the elite defensive ends in the NFL and can help transform any defense from the jump. With that in mind, here are the three best trade destinations for Hendrickson, who's set to hit the open market after the 2025 season. The Colts are in no man's land. They've won eight-plus games in back-to-back seasons but also missed the playoffs in each of the last four. An area that could still use improvement? Their pass rush. Last season, the Colts totaled 36 sacks, which was tied for 25th in the NFL. That's where Hendrickson enters the chat. The star defensive end has posted double-digit sacks in four of the past five years. He'd join a defensive end group that includes Kwity Paye, who has blossomed into a reliable starter, 2024 first-rounder Laiatu Latu and 2025 second-rounder JT Tuimoloau. While the Colts have depth off the edge, Hendrickson would immediately become the featured part of their defense, which is now under the direction of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who, by the way, was Hendrickson's defensive coordinator with the Bengals from 2021-24. He'd strengthen a reputable part of this roster but, furthermore, make it their identity. The 2025 season is pivotal for third-year head coach Shane Steichen and the Colts, especially with the quarterback battle between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. They've gotten better in the back end of their defense by signing Cam Bynum (four-year, $60 million deal) and Charvarius Ward (three-year, $54 million deal) this offseason. Going for the jugular and getting Hendrickson would finish off a defensive facelift and could give Indianapolis a top-10 defense. All that said, the Colts may view their future, particularly at quarterback, as too volatile to trade as much as a future first-rounder and give out a mammoth contract thereafter for an impact player. The Panthers gave up the most total yards (404.5 per game), rushing yards (179.8 per game) and points (31.4 per game) in the NFL and were tied for 29th with 32 sacks last season. Needless to say, Carolina could use help off the edge. Now, the Panthers got better in their front seven this offseason by signing defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton and linebacker Patrick Jones, who each totaled a career-high in sacks last season, with 6.5 and seven sacks, respectively. In the draft, Carolina took a pair of defensive ends, Nic Scourton at pick No. 51 and Princely Umanmielen at No. 77. But they still don't have a blue-chip pass-rusher who can get them off the field on third down. Know who is a proven blue-chip pass rusher? Hendrickson would become the leader of the Panthers' defense, giving them somebody whom defenses have to game-plan for. This is a five-win team that was previously coming off a two-win season. Ultimately, whether quarterback Bryce Young pans out looms greatest for Carolina, but if its defense continues to be one of the worst in the league, the franchise can only do so much. Maybe Jones builds on his 2024 campaign, D.J. Wonnum stays on the field and one of Scourton and Umanmielen impresses in their rookie campaign. But adding Hendrickson to the mix takes the pressure off that collective bunch to all have standout seasons and gives Carolina the jolt that its defense needs. What could stop the Panthers from making a deal for Hendrickson, though, is them potentially feeling that they have to be closer to playoff contention to surrender significant draft assets against the backdrop of the haul they gave up to get Young two years ago — two first-rounders, two second-rounders and wide receiver D.J. Moore. It's go time for the Cardinals. Jonathan Gannon is entering Year 3 as head coach, the franchise continues to roll with Kyler Murray, and they used their 2023 and 2024 first-round picks on offense (offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.). Hendrickson would help lift a defense that was middle-of-the-pack in 2024 to a top-tier one in 2025. Arizona totaled a respectable 41 sacks last season, which was tied for 13th in the league. Then again, linebacker Zaven Collins led the Cardinals with just five sacks. More is needed in that department. Drafting Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen III with the No. 16 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and signing linebacker Josh Sweat to a four-year, $76.4 million deal are impact moves. Acquire Hendrickson and the Cardinals have one of the best pass-rushes in the NFL. Hendrickson and Sweat would be an elite edge-rusher combination, with their pairing emphatically solving a shortcoming in Arizona's defense. Edge rusher is one of the few undisputed premium positions in the sport. Sweat's $19.1 million average annual salary is manageable, and paying Hendrickson near top-dollar ($30-35 million per season) is worth the price of admission. The needle is pointing upward for the Cardinals, but all three teams in their division, the NFC West, have reason to be internally bullish on 2025, too; the Los Angeles Rams reached the NFC divisional round last season; the Seattle Seahawks have won nine-plus games in each of the past three seasons; the San Francisco 49ers are a year removed from getting to the Super Bowl. Arizona has to rise at some point, and that time is now. Hendrickson would give the Cardinals tangible reason to believe they can win the NFC West and then some next season. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Cincinnati Bengals cut Germaine Pratt as Trey Hendrickson holds out and Sam Hubbard retires
The Cincinnati Bengals cut Germaine Pratt on Monday, making the veteran linebacker the team's latest cap casualty after signing star receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to massive contract extensions. Pratt has been a reliable contributor for the Bengals since being drafted out of the University of Cincinnati in 2019. He now departs a defense that was already without defensive end Sam Hubbard, who recently retired, and his counterpart Trey Hendrickson, who is holding out amid a contract dispute. And Hendrickson isn't the only defensive player currently on the sidelines. First-round pick Shemar Stewart, a defensive end from Texas A&M, and second-round pick Demetrius Knight II, a former South Carolina linebacker, are both in team meetings, but sat out of drills during organized team activities (OTAs) because they decided against signing the requisite waivers. The 29-year-old Pratt led Cincinnati with 143 total tackles in 2024, including five tackles for a loss to go with a pair of interceptions and fumble recoveries. The inconsistent Bengals missed the playoffs at 9-8 last season while surrendering 348.3 yards per game – more than all but seven NFL teams. Cincinnati also surrendered a touchdown on 67.9 percent of opponent's red-zone possessions, the third-worst rate in the NFL The Bengals are currently without holdout Trey Hendrickson (left) and retired Sam Hubbard Despite the absence of Hendrickson and the inactivity of Stewart and Knight, new Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden was pleased with his other players' efforts during OTAs. 'We can push the limits of our core fundamentals,' he told reporters in Cincinnati last week. 'We can try to see how many concepts we can efficiently get to, which I think is important, and then draw on that in training camp. 'Although it's not as physical or perhaps as long as training camp, this does serve as a springboard and great foundation for us. Without this segment, it's hard to start off where you want, so that's why there's urgency right now for us.' Specifically, Golden is working to teach young defensive players the assignments of their teammates so that everyone is on the same page whenever on-field adjustments are made. 'When you sit in on those unit meetings and you look at the pre-practice work and all the stuff that they're getting as a unit, it's a very hungry group,' head coach Zac Taylor told reporters. 'Al's done a great job setting the standard in that room. The position coaches have followed suit, so I'm really excited about the direction that group's heading.' Golden previously served as the Bengals' linebackers coach in 2020 and 2021, when he worked directly with Pratt, before moving on to Notre Dame for three seasons.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
2025 Fantasy Football Rankings: Top 5 Wide Receivers
After diving into the top five quarterbacks in my last article, it's time for a new position. Today, we'll be breaking down my 2025 fantasy football rankings for the wide receiver position. Wide receiver is one of the deepest positions in the NFL, but drafting an elite wide receiver can be a massive advantage for your fantasy team. Just look at Ja'Marr Chase last year. We'll be ranking these players in a PPR format. Last year, Ja'Marr Chase was one of the best picks you could have made in fantasy football. Chase easily finished as the WR1 on the year, scoring a ridiculous 403 points. Chase is one of the most talented receivers in the league, and his situation stays about the same. Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins are both returning, which should allow Chase to thrive yet again. The Cincinnati Bengals defense hasn't drastically improved, especially when you take into account that Trey Hendrickson may not play this upcoming season with a contract issue. Either way, the Bengals allowed the 7th most points per game (25.5) last year, and the offense is going to be in favorable game scenarios for Chase. While Chase is the clear-cut WR1, CeeDee Lamb is the WR3 on FantasyPros Expert Consensus Rankings. However, with Dak Prescott returning for the 2025 season, Lamb has jumped right back into my WR2 spot. Let's not forget that in 2023, Lamb had 403.2 fantasy points and was the WR1 in the NFL. Justin Jefferson is great, but even when he was the WR1 back in 2022, he only had 368.7. Even with the addition of George Pickens, Lamb should dominate in targets as he's the clear WR1. What Lamb misses out on in targets, Pickens should help him make up for in efficiency. When watching the film on Lamb, it was clear that he was held back at times due to the fact that he was the only weapon on the Dallas Cowboys. When Pickens was the WR1 on the Pittsburgh Steelers, he still only drew 103 targets. Pickens operates much better as a boundary receiver, where he uses his 6'3' and 200 lb frame to create opportunities for the wide receivers running underneath concepts. Lamb should benefit in a big way from the addition of Pickens. If you want to rank Justin Jefferson ahead of Lamb, that's totally fine. The two are very close, and Jefferson has the safer projection. That said, when playing fantasy football, I love to chase the highest ceiling. Jefferson was the WR1 back in 2022, and in all three years he's played 17 games, he's been a top-five wide receiver. My main question is, how will J.J. McCarthy perform in 2025? McCarthy has yet to take an NFL snap, and I wasn't a big fan of him as a prospect. In his first year as a starter, I expect McCarthy to be a much worse quarterback than Sam Darnold, who had 4,319 and 35 touchdowns last year. Jefferson may be the most talented wide receiver in the NFL, so he's going to give you a great season either way. McCarthy makes me worried that Jefferson may have a capped ceiling in 2025. While Amon-Ra St. Brown doesn't have the same ceiling as Jefferson, Lamb, and Chase, he's yet to have a season below WR3 since 2022. St. Brown dominates out of the slot (43.5% rate), which means he's going to get a consistent amount of targets and receptions each year. That said, St. Brown doesn't break off as many big plays as the receivers ranked ahead of him. In a PPR format where receptions are crucial, St. Brown is still dominant. There's a bit of concern about the Detroit Lions losing their offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson. Now coaching with the Chicago Bears, Johnson is considered one of the best offensive minds in football. St. Brown may not give you a 400-point season, but he's going to be an elite WR1 to have on your fantasy football team. With all of these other players, we've seen multiple years of dominance. Puka Nacua had a legendary WR2 season as a rookie but struggled with injuries last year. Nacua was limited to 11 games due where he finished as the WR26. On a PPG basis, though, Nacua actually improved. As a rookie, Nacua had 17.6 PPG, and in year two, that jumped up to 18.8 PPG. It's not as if Nacua has had a long list of injuries before this, and even if he did, it's impossible to predict. Nacua is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, and he's still playing with Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay. The only worry is that the Los Angeles Rams signed Davante Adams to replace Cooper Kupp. Even though Adams is 32 years old, he played much better than Kupp last year. Kupp had 67 receptions for 710 yards in 12 games, while Adams had 67 receptions for 854 yards in 11 games. The Rams don't have many other weapons outside of Adams and Nacua, so it's not a massive worry. However, when we're splitting hairs between the best wide receivers in the NFL, it's enough to give Nacua a slight knock. Nevertheless, Nacua is a great player and absolutely deserves to be a top-five wide receiver in my 2025 fantasy football rankings.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cincinnati Bengals Wideout Jermaine Burton 'Moved On' from Last Year's Benching
Cincinnati Bengals Wideout Jermaine Burton 'Moved On' from Last Year's Benching originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Cincinnati Bengals selected wideout Jermaine Burton in the third round last offseason to hopefully add a little depth behind Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase. Advertisement But the former Crimson Tide receiver's rookie season was anything but productive. Burton posted just four catches on 14 targets for 107 yards and no touchdowns. Disappointing numbers for a third-round pick for sure. His lackluster season ended early after the team benched him for the final game of the year. He wasn't even invited on the plane to Pittsburgh. Burton says that benching woke him up. 'Nobody should be happy with it,' Burton said. 'I was very disappointed, but it's something that I moved on from, and grew from, and can't wait, looking forward, really looking forward to this year.' Burton had an opportunity to think about that benching for the entire offseason thus far, and is ready to be better. Advertisement 'Sleepless nights, honestly, just sitting there thinking,' Burton said. 'I could sit there and just think about football all night. And it's just something that I love, and something that I really enjoy doing. So I want to do the best that I can to be the better player I can be. I really wish I was there, but like I said, the situation I moved on from and I really can't wait for this year.' Now, the 23-year-old is ready to improve and help his team win. 'I'm just trying my best to be the best player I can be, just coming up with better habits, better routines, and just trying to stay consistent,' Burton said. 'I learned a lot of things last year, but you really got to be a professional in this league.' Related: Cincinnati Bengals Accused Of Major Mistake In Signing Star Receiver Related: ESPN Says Bengals Are 'Probably' A Playoff Team This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cincinnati Bengals Have a Top-5 Offensive Trio in the NFL
Cincinnati Bengals Have a Top-5 Offensive Trio in the NFL originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Despite what a 9-8 record may suggest, the Cincinnati Bengals had one of the best offenses in the NFL last season. The Bengals ranked sixth in points, fifth in first downs, and ninth in yards. Advertisement The Bengals were particularly proficient in the passing game, where the led the NFL in both yards (4,640) and touchdowns (43). A lot of that can be attributed to the trio of Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The Bengals committed a lot of money this offseason to keep that trio together. Chase signed a four-year, $161 million extension, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Meanwhile, Higgins inked a four-year, $115 million contract. In 2023, the Bengals signed Burrow to a massive five-year, $275 million extension. That's $551 million committed to three players, and that very well may be the best offensive trio in the NFL. Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame ranked the NFL's best offensive trios, and only took quarterback, WR1 and running back into consideration. The trio of Burrow, Chase, and running back Chase Brown ranked fourth on his list. Advertisement "Cincinnati has the NFL's most dynamic offense, and Burrow and Chase lead the way." Verderame wrote. "Despite missing the playoffs in 2024, Burrow led the league with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns. Chase won the NFL's receiver triple crown with 127 catches, 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. Brown is also a threat, showcased by his 990 rushing yards and seven scores." If Verderame's list factored in the three best players on offense, it's hard to imagine many trios would outrank the Bengals. The three trios listed above the Bengals were Los Angeles' Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua, Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown, and Baltimore's Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers. Brown had a bit of a breakout campaign in his second NFL season. The former fifth-round pick took 229 carries for 990 yards and seven touchdowns. With another year of development under his belt, he very well could be headed for his first 1,000-yard campaign. Brown was second on the Bengals in scrimmage yards with 1,350, a number bolstered by his impact in the receiving game, where he tallied 360 yards and four touchdowns. Related: Could Bills Pull Off Trey Hendrickson Trade? Related: Cincinnati Bengals Accused Of Major Mistake In Signing Star Receiver This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
