Ravens On SI Staff Reacts to Trey Hendrickson Signing

Writers for the Baltimore Ravens' residential On SI website chimed in with their thoughts on the move that might've saved their offseason.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91), left, and Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard (94) celebrate a sack in the second quarter during a Week 16 NFL game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. Baltimore Ravens At Cincinnati Bengals Dec 26 | Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

It seemed like most, if not all, hope for having a highly impactful offseason was lost for the Baltimore Ravens and their fans after the blockbuster trade to acquire five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders fell through over a reported failed physical.

After tying for the third-fewest sacks as a team last season with just 30, they were in desperate need of a difference-making pass rusher heading into the offseason. While they weren't able to follow through with the deal to land Crosby, they still wound up getting an elite edge defender without having to part with either of their first-round picks in the 2026 and 2027 NFL Drafts by inking four-time Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson to a four-year deal worth 112 million with a maximum value of $120 million.

Ravens signing DE Trey Hendrickson to a 4-year, $112M deal. (via @rapsheet, @tompelissero) pic.twitter.com/Tjaf7Sv0Ae

— NFL (@NFL) March 11, 2026

The dedicated staff writers at Ravens On SI are among the countless pundits who have shared their thoughts on the trade and what it means for the team in the reactions below.

Trey Hendrickson is a great addition, not a consolation prize

Say what you want about how they got here, but the Ravens and general manager Eric DeCosta absolutely salvaged their offseason and vastly improved their pass rush in one fell swoop with the decision to back out of the Crosby trade and quickly pivot to agreeing to terms with Hendrickson. In doing so, general manager Eric DeCosta landed a star edge defender who is only a year removed from churning out back-to-back 17.5 sack seasons and ranks third in sacks over the last three seasons despite only playing seven games in 2025 due to a core muscle/hip injury.

With Hendrickson, the Ravens aren't just landing one of the most potent pass rushers in the league. They're also getting an experienced veteran for their young edge room, a playmaker who can help them close out games with sacks and key pressures and a defender who already has intimate knowledge and familiarity with the AFC North. While making this move will cancel out the projected third-round compensatory pick in 2027 since the 31-year-old is joining the team as an unrestricted free agent, not having to give up their first rounders for the next two years more than makes up for it. - Josh Reed

Sep 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) plays the field against Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Walker Little (72) in the second half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

While the situation with Maxx Crosby is about as messy a situation as it can be, the Ravens made the right call in at least bringing in Trey Hendrickson as the replacement. Hendrickson is a four-time Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro in 2024. The Ravens got their elite edge rusher, but due to his past injury concerns, the Ravens should still consider selecting an edge rusher within the first three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft as an insurance policy. Otherwise, this is still a great addition for Baltimore. - Anthony Miller

Trey Hendrickson may not be the top-three-or-so defensive end that Maxx Crosby is, but he isn't far off from statistical and concern-based points of view. They're two of the most reliable sack threats and quarterback pressure appliers in the league over the last five or six seasons, and while Crosby's season-ending meniscus injury and the recovery process that followed were enough to spook Baltimore's medical evaluators, the usually-healthy Hendrickson similarly suffered a down year in missing 10 games in 2025. He's also older in preparing for his 10th season at 31 years old, but his arrival proves that outsiders aren't willing to completely shun the team in negotiations, as some insiders believe. In a vacuum, one of the best free agents on the market is now a Raven. - Henry Brown

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