Rams Trade For Star Pass-Rusher in Mock Draft

Could the Los Angeles Rams pick up the NFL's ultimate quarterback neutralizer?

Jan 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) talk after the game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

In a mock draft conducted with over 50 draft analysts acting as NFL executives, running each franchise during a simulated 2025 NFL Draft, a shocking offer with the Bengals occurred.

Rams On SI controlled the Rams. In the draft, there was a discussion to trade picks 26 and 90 for Denver's pick 20, but negotiations broke down for two reasons. The reasons the Rams looked to trade up were to select Jalon Walker, but the Buccaneers drafted him with pick 19, and Denver didn't want to negotiate, as they wanted Colston Loveland.

That ended up working out as when pick 26 came up, the Seahawks tried to trade back into the first with day two and day three picks. However, after drafting Malaki Starks with the 17th overall pick, the Bengals made a drastic move.

The Bengals' general manager Parker Blake contacted the Rams' war room. They asked if the Rams wanted to make a trade for Bengals' defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson was the NFL sack king and recorded 35 sacks over the past two years.

There are several reasons the Bengals wanted to get rid of Hendrickson. He has one year remaining on his deal. The Bengals likely can not afford to extend him both from a cap perspective and affording his signing bonus. The team needs players on rookie contracts to offset the deals given to Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins.

So after negotiations that came down to the wire, the Rams traded picks 26, 90, and a 2026 third-round pick for Hendrickson.

Upon acquiring Hendrickson, both sides worked out an extension. While the Rams needed to push his 2025 cap hit towards the additional years of the deal and add void years, the team has over $70 million in cap space in 2026, so the numbers worked out.

The Rams also do not have a receiver or cornerback set to earn record numbers in the next two seasons which allowed the team to execute the deal.

The Bengals selected James Pearce Jr.

Hendrickson provides one of the best defensive lines in the NFL with an extra weapon to launch at quarterbacks. The downside is that the move likely places Byron Young on the 2026 offseason trade block due to him entering a contract year.

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