Intriguing NFC Team Drawing Buzz for Bengals Superstar Trey Hendrickson

The Bengals will almost certainly lose Trey Hendrickson this offseason, but where could he land?

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) is double-teamed by Green Bay Packers center Elgton Jenkins (74) and guard Aaron Banks (65) during the second quarter of their game Sunday, October 12, 2025 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Bengals' entire offseason is going to revolve around their defense and what they do to improve that side of the football. They need to make a slew of moves to bolster their defense or else they won't be able to compete with the teams at the top of the league.

But there's another big story surrounding the Bengals: Star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson and his future.

Hendrickson hasn't been able to find a contract extension with the Bengals. At this point, it seems as though the bridge has been burned between the two sides. As a result, most Bengals fans seem to understand that Hendrickson has played his final game with the team, but it's still up in the air where he'll play the next few years of his career.

Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine recently put together a list of each NFL team's perfect free agent target this offseason. The aforementioned Hendrickson was listed as the perfect free agent target for the Washington Commanders, which seems like the perfect fit on the outside looking in.

Commanders Could Land Trey Hendrickson

Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickso — Sep 23, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) warms up before a game against the Washington Commanders at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

"Hendrickson is going to be at the top of most free agent rankings this spring. The Commanders should have one of the biggest free agent budgets as they try to bounce back in contention," Ballentine wrote. "Hendrickson's pass-rushing prowess would be key to reigniting Dan Quinn's defense. The Commanders were 26th in pressure rate last season."

The Bengals have one last chance to impact Hendrickson's career. They could look to franchise tag him and trade him, but there would be a lot of moving pieces in a possible trade.

Either way, the Commanders make a lot of sense as a suitor. Hendrickson is projected to sign for $33 million per year according to The Athletic. According to Spotrac, the Commanders have around $67 million to spend, which ranks top five in the league in terms of cap space.

The Commanders recorded 42 sacks last season. That number would certainly go up if they were able to add Hendrickson to their roster.

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