When it was reported on Sunday that the Bengals were open to offers for Trey Hendrickson again, fans of the other 31 NFL teams flocked to social media to consider whether their franchise would make a move.
The Seahawks feel like one of the teams were a move is at least plausible.
Firstly, they’re not in the AFC. The Bengals are highly unlikely to trade him inside the conference so he can chase around Joe Burrow.
Secondly, it feels like they’re close to being really good. Aside from the defending Champion Eagles, this isn’t a loaded NFC. It feels wide open, with plenty of room for a team to make a run.
Hendrickson recorded 35 sacks in his last two seasons. He led the NFL for sacks (17.5) in 2024 — three clear of second-placed Myles Garrett. Since 2020 he has 70.5 sacks. Although he turns 31 in December he hasn’t missed a game in the last two seasons.
So why wouldn’t you make a bold, aggressive move?
There are several reasons. When Mike Macdonald coached the Ravens’ defense to be the best in the NFL per DVOA in 2023, his top two pass-rushers were Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy. Both players were ageing and enjoyed a career jump-start under Macdonald.
Is Macdonald’s scheme more tactical and less reliant on star power? Perhaps. That isn’t to say he wouldn’t love to have a star. Yet if he’s shown he can create the league’s top unit without one, the Seahawks might be inclined to save picks and cap space by not making a big move.
They do already have DeMarcus Lawrence, Boye Mafe and Derick Hall on the roster. With Uchenna Nwosu also returning to practise, they might feel like they have the pieces needed to make this work.
Trading for Henderson now would almost certainly involve a new contract. They’ve steered away from big trades for outsiders and then rewarding those players immediately, before home-grown talents get their pay-rise. With several players on the roster set for new deals in the next 12-24 months, it might impact the dynamic of a water-tight locker-room if they immediately fork out for Henderson now.
They’ve done a good job in the draft over recent years — collecting a high number of picks and using them to reshape the roster. Giving away prime 2026 stock to chase a soon-to-be 31-year-old might go against the grain.
It’s also worth noting how important development is. Hendrickson had only 6.5 sacks in his first three years in the league. There was very little sign at that point that he would turn into one of the NFL’s best pass-rushers. Hall, for example, had eight sacks in his second season for the Seahawks alone. Mafe has 18 in his first three seasons, three times more than Hendrickson did. It doesn’t mean either player is certain to turn into a stud pass-rusher — but they might be more inclined to continue working with their guys rather than make an aggressive move for a short-term fix who will take snaps away from the likes of Hall and Mafe.
The cost of doing business is also tricky. The top EDGE rushers are now getting $40m a year. Hendrickson has a case to be paid as well as anyone at his position. This would be an expensive move for a player already in his 30’s. Trade compensation could also be problematic. The Bengals are notoriously difficult to negotiate with. Given they are in a window of opportunity themselves, they aren’t going to give away a sack specialist. They’ll likely want a replacement as part of a deal, or another talented young player at a different position, plus at least one good draft pick for 2026.
I don’t expect the Seahawks to make this kind of move. I think they’ll see the chemistry on defense and the band-of-brothers mentality that seems to be developing. Hendrickson is a good pro and drama-free but I think the Seahawks will prefer to trust their guys, work to develop them and try and turn Hall and Mafe into more impactful contributors.
Even so, I’d be all in favour of a trade if they actually did it. It’s not that I think the Seahawks are ‘one player away’ because I don’t think any team is ever truly ‘one player away’. The difference between being a good team and a great team is often your ability to add or create top players. This is an opportunity to trade for a supreme performer. Even if it’s only for three expensive seasons — it’s easy to imagine Hendrickson having a big impact.
If Seattle’s path to being a Super Bowl contender is having an elite defense, Hendrickson helps get you there.
If there’s any possibility of him ending up in San Francisco or LA — that would also be another reason to ensure that doesn’t happen.
So this is my position — I don’t believe they’ll trade for Trey Hendrickson but I am not opposed to it if they do. I just think the cost of the trade, the contract, the growing chemistry on defense already and the fact things are moving along nicely will convince the Seahawks to keep on the same track and not feel obliged to make a big splash.
