Cardinals Can't Go Wrong Trading for Disgruntled Bengals Star

The Trey Hendrickson saga with the Cincinnati Bengals continues after the four-time Pro Bowler told reporters the team has struggled with contact regarding a new contract. Hendrickson had previously asked for a trade and those talks are heating up once again.

Hendrickson has compiled 17.5 in each of the last two years and accounted for just under half of the Bengals total sacks as a team. In just four seasons, he has registered 57 sacks through 65 games played. That number is the sixth-most in franchise history.

Why the Bengals are playing hard-ball with such an elite defender is beyond me. Regardless, the 30-year-old edge rusher told the team he won't play under his current deal.

That's where a team like the Arizona Cardinals come into play.

The Cardinals have been one of the most consistently linked teams to acquiring Hendrickson. The connection is an obvious one with the Cardinals' need for pass rushing help and possessing the cap space to provide Hendrickson with the fat contract extension he has rightfully earned.

Some are pitching trade packages for teams to grab Hendrickson, and an article from Bleacher Report's Moe Moton is proposing the Cardinals send second and fifth-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft as compensation for the disgruntled Bengals star.

Moton echoed thoughts many have been saying for months regarding Arizona's current pass rushing situation in stating the team has few reliable pass rushers.

"Aside from (Josh) Sweat, Arizona doesn't have a reliable pass rusher on the edge. The club re-signed Baron Browning, who registered two sacks in eight games after he came over from the Denver Broncos in a trade last November. BJ Ojulari missed the entire 2024 campaign with a torn ACL. Fifth-year pro Zaven Collins has played off-ball linebacker and edge rusher. He's yet to top five sacks in a single season."

Adding on to this is the team spent a third-round pick on Oregon's Jordan Burch to help boost the room. But other than that, Arizona is banking on improved production from the roster to tag along with Sweat.

That's a dangerous game to play for a team with playoff aspirations.

Adding Hendrickson would shore up that gamble by giving the Cardinals an elite pass rusher. By numbers alone, Hendrickson has been one of the five best edge rushers in the league over the last several years and he's shown zero signs of slowing down.

His addition to this defense would bolster a front seven that has seen tons of investment this offseason between re-signings, free agent additions, and draft selections.

Moton mentions the fit wouldn't be perfect schematically as a base 4-3 defensive end -- a role he's spent his entire eight-year pro career playing. But, I have no concerns regarding any fits with the current coaching staff.

HC Jonathan Gannon and DC Nick Rallis would have an easy time getting Hendrickson comfortable in this defense. The way they scheme their pass rush would allow him to have a field day and continue posting elite numbers.

Moton credits both Gannon and Rallis in that regard, saying the two could "mix and match looks" to get the best out of Hendrickson's skill set and make him comfortable in a scheme adjustment.

Going back now to that trade compensation, that's a no-brainer for me. A way-too-early look at the 2026 NFL Draft shows a handful of stud pass rushers, but none will be within the reach of the Cardinals if they do turn out to be legitimate contenders.

The guys they would find on their laps in round one would not be as great as Hendrickson already is, let alone on day two.

Hendrickson is also still in the prime of his career. He won't turn 31 until December and likely has several great seasons left in the tank. The 30-year-old milestone does not mean the same for all positions. It may be the dying age for running backs, but pass rushers won't slow down for a few more years -- especially ones of Henrickson's caliber.

This move would be a layup. The Cardinals would find an ace pass rusher to complement Sweat and round-out the front seven's makeover. With a terrific secondary, Arizona could easily host one of the ten best defenses in the league. That in itself makes them a heavy-weight playoff contender.

It's an easy move to make and compensation like that is easy to move. After that, the Cardinals will give Hendrickson a blank check and keep him on deck for the next several years.

Hendrickson can become a building block for the team for years to come and could radicalize the defense into becoming one of the biggest bullies in the NFC.

The Philadelphia Eagles just proved an elite pass rush wins championships. Gannon knows how to get there from previous experience with that franchise and I imagine he is all about repeating that success in the desert.

Let's make the trade and start celebrating a defense that, on paper, looks elite.