The Baltimore Ravens will look to bounce back in 2026 after missing the postseason last year. Handling business within the division will be massive, and the Ravens must take care of the Cincinnati Bengals when they match up. The Ravens stole a player from their rival when they signed edge rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency to a four-year, $112 million deal.
Despite the addition for Baltimore, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow doesn't seem pressed about it. He was speaking to the media on Wednesday and was asked about his thoughts on Hendrickson signing with Baltimore. He responded, "Not very surprising. I know Trey. I love Trey. I know how he operates," per Caleb Noe of WCPO 9 Cincinnati.
While this may not be a shot, Burrow didn't seem to be worried about the addition. These teams split the season series last season, but Baltimore has won five of the last six games between the two clubs. So this addition is something that gives Baltimore an edge over Cincinnati.
Joe Burrow comments on Trey Hendrickson joining the Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens' pass rush needed some serious juice, as they were 30th in the NFL in team sacks (30) in 2025. No one had more than five sacks on the year, which is why the addition of Hendrickson is big for this defense.
In five seasons with the Bengals, Hendrickson finished with 171 total tackles, 56 TFLs, 120 QB hits, and 61 sacks. He even had back-to-back 17.5 sacks in 2023 and 2024, but that still wasn't enough to get an extension from Cincinnati, especially after he dealt with a core muscle injury last season.
You can rest assured that Hendrickson will be ready to roll against his former team. And that means it'll be no holds barred when he's looking to sack his friend in Burrow. He has been Hendrickson's teammate for the past half-decade, so he will know certain tendencies of Hendrickson. And that could be why Burrow said he knows how he operates, but things will switch in a new location.
The 31-year-old will now have Jesse Minter running the show, which will put Hendrickson in different places to get the most production out of him. In Week 17, the Ravens will travel to play the Bengals on Thursday Night Football, which could easily be a matchup that has playoff implications.
This new wrinkle in the rivalry adds another layer of things to watch in 2026, and Hendrickson will certainly be ready to dominate his former team after it ended on a sour note. That means that Burrow could be on the ground several times, which would be ideal for Baltimore in any contest against the Bengals.
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