Ravens Have Perfect Reason to Avoid Potential Free Agent Bust

The Baltimore Ravens know they must make a splash this offseason with the defense and find the right pass rusher to add to the team.

After racking up just 30 sacks in 17 games in 2025, the Ravens have been attached as a potential landing spot for all the top edge rushers who could be traded or signed in free agency, like Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson and Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby. As Bleacher Report writer Gary Davenport points out, though, it might be better for the Ravens to avoid Hendrickson in free agency, as he's got bust written all over him.

"Elite edge-rushers can command gaudy salaries, and Hendrickson is projected to earn over $25 million a season on a new deal. If he can recapture his 2024 form, Hendrickson would be a relative bargain at that cost. But he will turn 32 during the 2026 campaign, and his four sacks a year ago were his fewest since 2018. And with his new deal likely to only be for a couple of years, there won't be much wiggle room to spread that fat salary around."

Should the Ravens avoid signing Trey Hendrickson in free agency?

Hendrickson has been great over the last six years as he has racked up at least 13.5 sacks in four of the last six seasons and was able to hit 17.5 sacks in 2023 and 2024 each year. He's been selected to four Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 2024.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That said, Hendrickson struggled to stay on the field last year, and the contract dispute did not help matters. He only had 23 pressures, 14 hurries, five quarterback hits, and four sacks on the season.

The reality is that Crosby is the better option since he is just 28 and is still playing well consistently for the Raiders. In four of his seven seasons in the NFL, Crosby has had 10 or more sacks and has twice led the NFL in tackles for loss with 22 in 2022 and 23 in 2023. He's also been a Pro Bowler five years in a row from 2021 through 2025.

Another option for the Ravens is to look into the 2026 NFL Draft to find a young edge rusher to develop into a starter. This would save the Ravens millions they would have to spend on Crosby or Hendrickson and potentially land the next great edge rusher to work with Mike Green.

Hendrickson's health and age make him too much of a risk for the Ravens at the moment, despite his potential. It's becoming increasingly clear that Baltimore would be better off looking elsewhere for an edge rusher.