Bengals, Lions Connected In Blockbuster Trade

The Cincinnati Bengals and Trey Hendrickson are making no progress in contract negotiations, and a trade becomes more and more likely with each passing day. One of the best pass rushers of the past half-decade, Hendrickson finished the 2024 season with a league-high 17.5 sacks, 46 tackles, 19 tackles-for-loss, 36 quarterback hits while earning Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro honors. Now entering the final year of his contract, Hendrickson is holding out for more financial security as he enters his age-31 season.

So far, the Bengals have been unwilling to meet his demands, and Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton believes they’ll cut their losses and trade Trey Hendrickson over the next few weeks. In a recent article, the NFL analyst proposed a blockbuster move that would send Hendrickson to the Detroit Lions for a 2026 second- and fifth-round pick.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) holds up his finger after a defensive stop with 4 seconds left in the second half the NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, at Empower Field in Denver, Co. Cincinnati Bengals defeated Denver Broncos 15-10.

Bengals, Lions Connected In Trey Hendrickson Trade Rumors

It’s easy to see why the Detroit Lions would try to trade for Trey Hendrickson. Aidan Hutchinson is one of the league’s premier pass rushers, but the rest of the depth chart leaves a lot to be desired. Marcus Davenport is coming off a season-ending injury and isn’t anything special even when he is healthy, while Josh Paschal did nothing to impress with Hutchinson injured last year.

If the Lions trade for Trey Hendrickson, they could turn a glaring flaw into one of the team’s greatest strengths. The duo of Hendrickson and Hutchinson will be second to none, as they’re arguably two of the top five edge rushers in the NFL.

Detroit finished the 2024 season with an impressive 15-2 record, but they’ll struggle to replicate that in 2025. With coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn leaving for head coaching vacancies, Detroit must add talent to offset that loss on the sidelines, and a Trey Hendrickson trade is a great way to do that.

Would the Bengals Agree to This?

The Lions would pull the trigger on the Trey Hendrickson trade without thinking twice, but it’s hard to imagine the Bengals agreeing to this deal. Even though he’s on the wrong side of 30, Hendrickson remains one of the game’s best pass rushers and it’s hard to envision Cincinnati accepting any deal that doesn’t include a first-round pick. The Bengals are notorious for not trading star players for picks (Carson Palmer excluded), and that philosophy won’t change unless they receive a massive return.

Additionally, the Bengals probably won’t trade Trey Hendrickson until they come to terms with first-round pick Shemar Stewart. Cincinnati needs someone to get after the quarterback, and Stewart will easily be the team’s best pass rusher once Hendrickson departs. The two sides are reportedly still nowhere close to an agreement, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Stewart is “dug in on the [contract] language.” One side will budge eventually, but until then, Hendrickson will likely remain under Cincinnati’s control.

Main Photo: Kareem Elgazzar – Imagn Images