Buccaneers 'Pursued' Trey Hendrickson in Free Agency Before Ravens Signing

It is no secret that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need edge-rushing help very badly. General manager Jason Licht said as much at the NFL Combine, and there were (and still are) three solutions to that problem — trade for an edge rusher, draft one, or sign one in free agency.

It doesn't seem like the Buccaneers were in on the Maxx Crosby sweepstakes when it comes to a trade, and they probably won't be in on him again now that his trade to Baltimore has been called off. The Bucs very well could still draft an edge rusher with the No. 15 pick in the first round, which is the highest Jason Licht will have ever taken one, but they could also sign one in free agency like they did last year with Haason Reddick — and one of the NFL's premier pass rushers was available.

Former Cincinnati Bengals standout Trey Hendrickson netted 17.5 sacks two seasons in a row in 2023-24, and he even reportedly expressed interest in Tampa Bay before the start of free agency. It wasn't to be, though, as he signed a huge deal with the Baltimore Ravens and will play in the AFC.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, though, the Buccaneers did go after Hendrickson. There was just one thing that the two sides didn't agree on.

Buccaneers didn't want to commit to Hendrickson long term

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates the win after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Hendrickson got an earth-shattering four-year, $112 million contract. The $28 million APY is already a tough pill to swallow, but it was the length that ended up being a problem for the Bucs. Per Schefter, Tampa Bay was pursuing Hendrickson, but they were looking to get him on a shorter team deal than he ended up signing.

The Colts, Bills, Bucs, Commanders and Eagles all were involved in Trey Hendrickson's free agency before the All-Pro agreed to terms with the Ravens, per sources.

The Colts felt like they were close at one point.

The Eagles got involved late.

Tampa pursued but on a… pic.twitter.com/LPuAONjbQv
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 11, 2026

The trepidation makes sense. Hendrickson is 31 years old and has an injury history, so guaranteeing a long-term deal like the Ravens did may not have been the smart move. Hendrickson is a world-class pass rusher, but his run defense leaves a bit to be desired, and that could have been another hangup when it came to giving him a lengthy deal.

Whatever the reasons, Hendrickson is not a Buccaneer and the Bucs still need a pass rusher. They're most likely to find a value option in free agency and then draft one with the No. 15 pick in the NFL Draft, which would give them two new options alongside Yaya Diaby. Bucs fans would have liked to see Hendrickson in Tampa Bay, but the Ravens were simply willing to go the extra mile where no other team would.

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