The Baltimore Ravens needed to find themselves a game-wrecker on defense this offseason. They desperately missed that player who can be an energizer and pick the team up when they’re down in 2025. They’ve now added that in edge rusher Trey Hendrickson.
It was a crazy week in Charm City. They initially thought that would be Maxx Crosby, but the Ravens backed out of the trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. They were still able to sign Hendrickson, who inked a four-year, $112 million contract.
Last season, the main problem for Baltimore was closing out games. With Hendrickson, they not only get a dominant sack artist on their side, but one who knows how to help finish those games. Head coach Jesse Minter highlighted that as a major game-changer during Hendrickson’s introductory press conference on Friday.
“Since 2021, Trey is second in the NFL in fourth-quarter sacks. There was a point in time this year where he was actually first, he missed a little bit of time, and [Danielle] Hunter ended up passing him, ” Minter said. “When we talk about being able to have a closer mentality, and finish games, and dominate in the fourth quarter, Trey is the epitome of that.”
Baltimore Ravens ready to close out games with Trey Hendrickson on their side
The Ravens dug themselves into a deep ditch early last season due to those issues with closing out games. The defense was an utter embarrassment, blowing big leads in two of the first three games of the year, and while the offense caused some of those problems, the defense could never get off the field and win the field position battle.
The root problem of it all was the lack of pass rush. When teams have just 30 sacks in a season like Baltimore had, forcing punts can be a difficult thing. Due to that, it felt like opposing offenses did whatever they wanted. Whether it was finding explosive plays or methodically moving the chains and keeping drives alive, the Ravens’ defense was living a nightmare that they couldn’t wake up from. It looks like they’re set to turn a corner, though.
Along with that exciting Hendrickson fourth-quarter sacks stat, he’s simply one of the best sack-getters in the NFL. He had a respectable four sacks in seven games in 2025, and he had 17.5 sacks in both 2023 and 2024. The Ravens haven’t really had a player like that since Terrell and Elvis Dumervil were in the building.
Hendrickson is also set to take off with an elite defensive mind in Jesse Minter as his head coach. Together, they’ll know how to create pressure and bring down quarterbacks. It's a scary duo to think about.
Fourth-quarter collapses were a common occurrence of the John Harbaugh era, especially in those last few seasons, where Baltimore lacked a true fear factor off the edge. After an already strong offseason, it seems that’s ready to change that with the hiring of Minter and the addition of Hendrickson.