3 days ago
Packers trade package that could land Bengals star Trey Hendrickson
If the Cincinnati Bengals make Trey Hendrickson available via trade, there are sure to be plenty of teams lining up to acquire his services, and the Green Bay Packers would likely be one of them.
Hendrickson and the Bengals have been embroiled in contract talks this offseason and the process has been ugly.
Reports suggest the two sides aren't close on a deal and Hendrickson, who held out from mandatory minicamp, has expressed his frustration with the process multiple times this offseason and doesn't plan to play without a new contract.
"The Bengals would like a shorter deal. Hendrickson would like a longer deal. And they can't even find common ground on the length of the deal right now," ESPN's Adam Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show last month.
Meanwhile, the Packers are looking to take that next step in 2025 after being one-and-done in the playoffs last season. As a result, adding another edge rusher should be a top priority, as only two players on the team tallied five or more sacks in 2024.
Adding Hendrickson would be just what the doctor ordered. He's one of the best edge rushers in the sport, as evidenced by his league-high 35 sacks the past two seasons, and his NFL-high 17.5 sacks in 2024.
So, what's a trade package the Packers could offer to bring Hendrickson in?
Packers-Bengals trade proposal
Bengals get: DE Lukas Van Ness, 2026 second-round pick
Packers get: DE Trey Hendrickson
A trade package for Hendrickson will likely start with a second-round pick.
It's possible a bidding war could bring it up to a first-rounder, especially given how important good edge rushers are, but the Bengals don't have much leverage to get one considering the circumstances, which include the acquiring team needing to extend Hendrickson to a big-money deal upon trading for him.
From there, the Bengals could net a Day 3 pick in addition to the second-rounder, but chances are they'll be looking for a player who can fill Hendrickson's spot, which is where Van Ness comes into play.
A former first-round pick, Van Ness has no doubt been disappointing after tallying just seven sacks over his first two seasons, including just three in 2024.
However, perhaps a change of scenery will be just what he needs to get going.
Making the Bengals' need to add another pass-rusher even more dire is the uncertainty surrounding rookie Shemar Stewart, who remains unsigned as Cincinnati prepares to begin training camp this coming week.
Now, none of this is to say that the Bengals should trade Hendrickson. In fact, that would be an idiotic move considering Cincinnati's Super Bowl aspirations.
But it's pretty clear the Bengals have no interest in paying Hendrickson what he deserves and he's no good to the franchise if he doesn't play.
That scenario will leave Cincinnati without its best defender anyway, so the Bengals would be wise to try and get something for him instead.
