This Bengals Player Can Wreck the Packers

The Green Bay Packers had to contend with Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson in Week 1 and Cleveland Browns All-Pro Myles Garrett in Week 3. When the Packers host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, they’ll have to keep Trey Hendrickson from wrecking the game.

“He’s another great rusher that we’ve faced so far this year,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said on Thursday. “He’s got elite get-off, great motor. You can tell he’s a really intelligent player so, yeah, you’re going to have your hands full, no matter who’s playing.”

When he is referring to “who’s playing,” he is talking about left tackle Rasheed Walker, who is questionable for Sunday’s game because of a quad injury. He was limited participation on Friday after not practicing on Thursday.

Walker’s status for this week is significant because Hendrickson has spent most of his career lining up across from the left tackle. This season, 86.6 percent of his rushes have come from the right side of the defense, according to Pro Football Focus.

Hendrickson is coming off back-to-back seasons of 17.5 sacks and has four this season as he tries to join Reggie White as the only players with at least 17 sacks in three consecutive seasons. Of 69 edge rushers with at least 80 pass-rushing snaps, he ranks 24th in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap, and ninth in pass-rush win rate.

Since replacing David Bakhtiari in Week 2 of the 2023 season, Walker has played in every game and started all but one.

If he’s out, the Packers probably will turn to last year’s first-round pick, Jordan Morgan.

Morgan has been a plug-and-play option for the Packers this season, taking double-digit snaps at three spots on the line. Most of those were at left guard. A three-year starting left tackle at Arizona, Morgan has not played that position this season but got a lot of snaps there during training camp and the preseason. It’s the position he’d prefer to play.

Whoever starts at left tackle will face one of the toughest challenges in the league.

Like Garrett in Week 3, coach Matt LaFleur bestowed the “game-wrecker” title on Hendrickson.

“He’s been a very consistent player for a lot of years now, and he’s another one of those guys that can wreck the game if you give him the opportunity,” he said. “So, we got to make sure we do a great job in regards to, obviously, knowing where he’s aligning and then helping out when possible.”

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates the Week 1 victory over the Cleveland Browns. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Since the start of the 2023 season, Hendrickson has a league-high 39 sacks – 5.5 more than second-ranked T.J. Watt. Last year, he won the sacks title by 3.5 over Garrett. Hendrickson, a Pro Bowler four consecutive seasons and a first-team All-Pro last year, was second in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season to Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain.

While Hendrickson has elite strength and technique, LaFleur attributes much of his success to his speed.

“I think he’s got a great get-off,” he said. “I think he plays with really good pad level, and he’s a guy that can run right through your face and put you on the ground or he can run right around you. But I think it all starts with his ability to get off the football.”

While a player like Hendrickson usually strikes fear into the hearts of opposing offenses, this is the kind of marquee matchup that running back Josh Jacobs looks forward to.

“He’s top five at his position in this league,” he said. “He’s one of them guys you definitely got to pay attention to because you know he can wreck a game. But it’s also a unique challenge for our offensive line to see where we at and also for our backs to help them out.

“But I like going against guys like that. You know, just trying to see, test where you are, and I feel like if you do good against them it’s a big confidence boost.”

Hendrickson has had a hot start to the season with four sacks through the Bengals' first five games. After recording a sack in each of his first two games, he was shut out for two straight weeks against the Vikings and Broncos. He bounced back in a big way against the Lions last week, sacking Jared Goff twice, including one that forced a fumble.

Hendrickson will look to stay hot this week against his second NFC North quarterback in a row while the Packers’ offensive line, which may or may not be at full strength with Walker, left guard Aaron Banks and right tackle Zach Tom questionable, will make it a team effort to try and stop him.

As the Browns showed in Week 3, Hendrickson can’t get all the attention from the offensive line, or the rest of the defensive front will eat. On top of the linemen getting in front of him, it will take chips from the Packers’ tight ends and running backs to keep him off balance and protect Jordan Love, or the offense could struggle again.

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