The Baltimore Ravens’ need for a pass rusher this offseason is painfully obvious. The development of 2025 second-round pick Mike Green last season was encouraging, but the team lacks a certified sack-getter.
After hiring Jesse Minter, the Ravens will be looking to revamp their defense. It starts with finding a proven edge rusher to set the tone. Much of the reason they’ve fallen short of the Super Bowl is their inconsistent pass rush, and those winning Super Bowls always have a lethal defensive line.
That could all change during this free agency cycle, though. The Cincinnati Bengals opted not to place the franchise tag on defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
The #Bengals are not franchise tagging star pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson, per me and @TomPelissero. One of the NFL’s best is free. pic.twitter.com/pEN9rorOMv
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 3, 2026
Hendrickson is expected to sign a two-year, $50.8 million contract in free agency, per Spotrac. If the rival Bengals let him walk, the Ravens could take a swing at the 31-year-old.
The door may be open for the Ravens to go after Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson is exactly what the Ravens need. He has 81 career sacks and four seasons of at least 13.5 sacks, posting career-highs in 2023 and 2024 with 17.5. He’s been a lethal threat off the edge for the past six seasons and has earned four Pro Bowl nods and one All-Pro First-Team honor throughout his distinguished career.
2025 was a forgettable year for Hendrickson. A hip issue and core muscle surgery limited his season to just seven games. He played well in that shortened campaign, though, posting four sacks and registering a Pro Football Focus grade of 82.9. While coming off an injury at 31 years old can be worrisome, he’s been very durable throughout his career.
Hendrickson’s tenure in Cincinnati got rocky towards the end. He requested a trade in 2024 and became frustrated with his contract ahead of the 2025 season. He eventually agreed to a reworked contract, but now, it seems the time has come for his chapter to close with the Bengals.
With those disagreements, there could be some reason to believe he’d be willing to join an AFC North rival like the Ravens. They have a long history of a winning culture, and Hendrickson could be that final piece of the puzzle to help Baltimore finally get over the playoff wall. If there’s mutual interest, general manager Eric DeCosta should be aggressive in free agency and go after him.
Baltimore can certainly create the cap space for Hendrickson. They currently have around $19 million, and although a market-setting contract is on the table for center Tyler Linderbaum, a new deal for quarterback Lamar Jackson would add an influx of cash and shrink his $74.5 million cap hit this year. Other potential cap casualties like defensive lineman Broderick Washington would add a few million to make things more comfortable for the Ravens, too.
If there’s one game-changing addition out there for Baltimore this offseason, it might be Hendrickson. He’s a feasible target, and the need is as clear as day. It’d also be nice to make the Bengals regret their decision to withhold the franchise tag from Hendrickson.