Seahawks potential trade for NFL sacks leader now has clear timeline

It appears there's no end in sight to the contract dispute between the Cincinnati Bengals and defensive end Trey Hendrickson. With organized team activities well underway, Hendrickson hasn't been present and is reportedly "extremely dug in" on receiving a pay raise before playing any games for the team, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

That opens the door for other teams to start ringing Bengals de facto general manager Duke Tobin with trade offers for the 2024 NFL sack leader. The Seattle Seahawks should absolutely be among those teams as they look to form one of the league's top defensive lines.

The deadline for the Bengals to get Hendrickson a new contract might be short, according to a new report from Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. It could be as soon as next week when the floodgates open up for trade calls.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) pressures Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) in the first 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. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"The Trey Hendrickson thing needs deadlines to create movement, and I do think the Bengals’ mandatory minicamp, set for June 10–12, is one to keep an eye on," Breer wrote.

According to Fowler, Hendrickson has already stated he's willing to miss games or the entire season if not awarded a new contract. It's hard to blame him, as the Bengals have given new deals to multiple offensive players this offseason while Hendrickson is entering the final year of his contract at 30 years old.

Meanwhile, Hendrickson has been among the top 2 leaders in sacks each of the last two seasons. He totaled 17.5 last season — 3.5 more than Cleveland Browns superstar Myles Garrett in second. Hendrickson carries an $18.67 million cap hit this season to cap off the $60 million extension he signed with Cincinnati ahead of the 2023 season.

Seattle doesn't necessarily need more pass-rushers, but a defensive line that includes Jarran Reed, Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy II, Johnathan Hankins and Hendrickson would immediately be among the best in the league. Couple that group with the Seahawks' deep stable of edge rushers, and the entire front seven becomes elite.

The Seahawks have the ninth-most cap space in the NFL at $31.2 million. They have the space to take on Hendrickson's current contract and to sign him to a multi-year extension that could bring him to the finish line of his career. If that move is going to happen, it could be coming down the pipeline soon.

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