Commanders projected to make massive trade for star defender in Round 1

All eyes will be on the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft tonight. The Washington Commanders have done a great job in all facets since the new regime took over a season ago, and they will look to expound on that starting tonight from Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The Commanders will have to wait a bit until they are on the clock as they own one of the last picks in the first round with the 29th overall selection. The Commanders have already made trades this offseason, acquiring Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel to cut down on their total number of picks in the draft, however, they might not be quite done when it comes to adding elite players via trade.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Commanders could look to utilize their 29th overall pick to help them gain standout sack monster Trey Hendrickson from the Cincinnati Bengals in their hypothetical trade scenarios during the draft.

Washington would also acquire the Bengals' 81st overall pick in this mock trade. There have been rumblings that the Commanders would love to try and get Hendrickson to help further solidify their defense, but nothing has materialized up to this point.

Hendrickson has become a bit frustrated with the Bengals, as he had hoped to receive an extension before playing in the final year of his contract before becoming a free agent in 2026. The Bengals paid their two star wideouts this offseason but have failed to reach an agreement with their standout edge rusher.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates after a false start penalty on the Patriots in the first quarter of the NFL Week 1 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Bengals have been open to trade talks surrounding Hendrickson, but it is believed their asking price is a bit steep, and they have also made it known that they would like to keep him as well. A bit of a mess if you ask me.

Either way, if the Commanders were able to come to terms with the Bengals, Hendrickson would be a great addition to a Dan Quinn-led defense and would immediately become an impactful player after notching back-to-back seasons of 17.5 sacks.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2025 offseason.

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