Trey Hendrickson Ditches Bengals for AFC North Rival in Shocking Offseason Move

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

After another disappointing NFL season, the Cincinnati Bengals could suffer more blows. The AFC North team could lose its best defender in the offseason after it failed to reach a contract extension agreement with Trey Hendrickson during the 2025 offseason.

The 2024 sack champion had an injury-shortened season, playing just seven games. Naturally, he didn’t post the best numbers, finishing with 16 tackles, four sacks, and one forced fumble. Hendrickson remains a strong presence on defense, but his future might not be with the Bengals.

Instead, he could join another AFC North team in need of a solid pass rusher to elevate their game.

Baltimore Ravens Link With Shocking Move For Trey Hendrickson

On Tuesday, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report listed off the free agency priorities for every new head coach in the NFL. New head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, Jesse Minter, needs a pass rusher, according to Kay.

“The Ravens could open the Jesse Minter era by taking a swipe at one of the franchise’s biggest rivals,” Kay wrote. “Poaching Trey Hendrickson from the Cincinnati Bengals would not only knock an AFC North threat down a peg but also reinforce a Baltimore pass-rushing unit that sorely needs a shot in the arm.

“The Ravens’ once-vaunted pass rush regressed significantly in 2025. The team only accumulated a meager 30 sacks in 17 games, a massive drop from the 54 sacks it tallied the prior year.”

Minter is a defensive coach, and his approach could take Hendrickson back to the top of his game. The Bengals kept head coach Zac Taylor, while the rest of the division fired theirs. The Ravens could make a statement by signing Hendrickson. Meanwhile, the Bengals’ situation looks so complex that teams are plotting a move for star quarterback Joe Burrow.