Ravens Avoid Making Same Mistake Twice in Signing Trey Hendrickson

The Baltimore Ravens' newest star successfully passed his physical before signing the dotted line.

Sep 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates the win after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Ravens and Trey Hendrickson agreed to terms on a four-year, $112 million agreement to nab the star pass-rusher, but fans of the team would have to keep waiting until they felt at ease with the signing. After all, they'd gotten their hopes up over Maxx Crosby mere days ago, only to learn that the Ravens backed out of the trade in the final hours before processing after the Raiders' defensive end failed his physical.

And Hendrickson was no spring chicken either. That's not to take away from his decorated resume; he's earned Pro Bowl distinctions over four of his last five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, but the usually-consistent sack threat missed 10 games in 2025, his age-31 season.

But to the Baltimore fan base's relief, Hendrickson's lingering core muscle injuries weren't deemed dangerous enough for Hendrickson to fall into the Crosby trap. He made the trip to Baltimore to make his contract official, providing the Ravens with one big sigh of relief.

Awesome indeed 😃 pic.twitter.com/evaoR095Ve

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) March 12, 2026

It wouldn't be hyperbole to consider the Hendrickson situation as one of the more important passed physicals in the franchise's recent history, let alone this ongoing offseason of moves and swaps. Mere days after their plans were bucked, the Ravens' summer of team-building is back on.

Hendrickson's Stabilization

Contrary to how his procurement was framed following the Crosby trade going up in smoke, Hendrickson was always considered as one of the Ravens' favorite in-house target. Rather than a rebound, he was reportedly imagined as part of a tandem along Baltimore's edge alongside Crosby rather than in place of the Raiders star, making his signing look less like a panic move and more the front office's return to their regularly-scheduled recruiting.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) sacks Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) in the first quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Ravens needed a destructive pocket-presence desperately, especially combined with Dre'Mont Jones' departure and Kyle Van Noy's own free agency odyssey. Another trip back to the drawing board in the case of a botched Hendrickson acquisition wouldn't have just cost even more precious time and attention, but that also would have completely sapped from Baltimore's offseason goal of shoring up their hurting pass-rush.

They secured fewer sacks than just about every one of their league-wide peers and rivals in 2025, and Hendrickson is a bona fide solution at the position, one of the first true star defensive ends of the Lamar Jackson era. Other issues still need to be tended to on defense, with the Ravens' pool of safeties still requiring some depth upon exits from Alohi Gilman and Ar'Darius Washington, but having a more-consolidated defensive line will do wonders in helping the new coaching staff make the transition.

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