Should the Raiders Pull Off Another Blockbuster?

What if the Las Vegas Raiders traded for Trey Hendrickson?

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek on radio row during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There's no telling what's in store for next season for the Las Vegas Raiders. It's clear that there's been an improvement, especially in the coaching department. However, just how much will this improvement translate in the regular season?

Pete Carroll's first year in Las Vegas, Ashton Jeanty's rookie season, Brock Bowers' second year in the league, there's so much to look forward to in 2025 for Raider Nation. Yet, there could always be more buzz around Sin City.

The situation between Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals has reached a boiling point, and the Raiders have emerged as prime candidates to trade for him. If they were to execute this trade, how much better would they be in 2025?

Playoff Push?

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates as the Steelers prepare to punt in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. The Bengals won 19-17 to finish the regular season at 9-8. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this hypothetical trade, the Raiders would give up Tyree Wilson and their first-round pick next year in exchange for Hendrickson. This would be a risky move for Carroll and the rest of the Raiders coaching staff, as there's no guarantee that even with Hendrickson, this team could make a playoff push.

It does increase their chances by a wide margin, and pairing Hendrickson with Maxx Crosby will result in one of the most feared duos along a defensive line in the NFL. Trading away Wilson reduces their depth, which means they'll have to rely more on rookie players, a significant risk.

Trading for Hendrickson would result in increased wins and potentially even a playoff berth, but it would result in them having pressure to compete for the immediate future. They wouldn't give themselves the luxury of building up this roster year after year and creating a foundation on which they could build off.

Hendrickson is a great player, but he's entering his 30s, and his timeline doesn't match up with the Raiders. This trade would add another star to the Raiders' roster, but is it worth leveraging their future for a spot in the wild-card round?

The addition of Hendrickson would improve their defensive line, but they still have holes in their secondary that would prevent them from being one of the top defenses in the NFL. The Raiders should focus on making next year a building block to improve on for later players and draft classes.

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