The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers have been named the top landing spots for superstar edge rusher Trey Hendrickson in a blockbuster trade with the Cincinnati Bengals.
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin and Jared Dubin believe the Lions and Packers are the best fits for Hendrickson if he is indeed moved out of Cincinnati.
The Lions addressed their offensive line early in the 2025 NFL Draft, also adding wide receiver depth. One area that went curiously overlooked: pass rusher, despite the team desperately needing the since-departed Za’Darius Smith to step in as an Aidan Hutchinson replacement last season. With more than $40 million in 2025 salary cap space still available, they could be a prime landing spot for a proven talent.
After dealing Preston Smith during the 2024 season, the Packers could still use a proven counterpart for Rashan Gary and the young Lukas Van Ness off the edge. They’ve also got plenty of money to spend, with more than $31 million in remaining 2025 cap space. The draft was all about bolstering Jordan Love’s supporting cast with two early wide receiver investments; now how about shoring up the other side?
Hendrickson has been seeking a new deal from the Bengals all offseason, but both sides have remained far apart on an extension over the last few months.
Initially, Cincinnati had no plans to entertain any trade talks surrounding the All-Pro edge rusher. However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Sunday that the Bengals are now listening to offers for Hendrickson.
“With contract talks at an impasse, the Bengals are listening to trade offers for perennial Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson, per me & Tom Pelissero,” Rapoport said on X. “
“It’s unclear if the NFL sack leader will be playing elsewhere in 2025, and a trade will be a real challenge. But time will tell.”
The Lions and Packers are both in need of pass-rushing help. Detroit must find a capable starting-level edge rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson, while Green Bay should look to take some pressure off Rashan Gary and add another piece to their defensive line.
Last season, Hendrickson posted 17.5 sacks and came second in AP Defensive Player of the Year voting. The 30-year-old has been one of the most prolific pass rushers in the entire sport since joining the Bengals in free agency in 2021.
Hendrickson would be an excellent acquisition for both teams, but the Packers are more likely than the Lions. Detroit still needs to figure out a long-term extension for Hutchinson, and it’s unlikely that the franchise will pay two players at the same position top-of-the-market money at the same time.
The Packers have all the resources to pull off a trade for Hendrickson and don’t have as many prominent players up for extensions in the future as the Lions.
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