The Green Bay Packers could be on the hunt for a game-wrecking pass rusher this offseason after their defensive ends largely disappointed in 2024, and fans have already begun to speculate about the potential for a blockbuster trade.
Myles Garrett has publicly requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns, opening at least one possibility for the Packers to consider on the trade market. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport also recently noted that Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby “might welcome a change” to a playoff team where he knows people, naming Green Bay specifically.
The Packers would expectedly need to give up a fortune to acquire either Garrett or Crosby in a trade, though — which may divert them to a more affordable trade target.
Perhaps a target like Cincinnati Bengals superstar edge rusher Trey Hendrickson?
Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department recently proposed a handful of NFL trades it would “love to see” happen during the 2025 offseason, including a scenario in which the Chicago Bears would land Hendrickson for Dennis Allen’s new defense next season. Using the same trade framework, though, it is easy to see how the same trade pitch may appeal to general manager Brian Gutekunst and the rest of Green Bay’s front office.
The (new) proposed trade: The Packers send their 2025 third-round pick (No. 87) to the Bengals in exchange for Hendrickson with one year left on his $21 million deal.
Trey Hendrickson Trade Would Cost More Than a Pick
There are a few things to understand about the possibility of a Hendrickson trade.
For starters, the Bengals have not strongly indicated they have plans to move him even though their salary-cap situation could force their hand if Hendrickson wants to sign an extension before the 2025 season. Hendrickson has also said he would “ideally” like to remain in Cincinnati; though, he left the door open for a potential trade elsewhere.
The bigger issue — at least for the Packers — would be navigating Hendrickson’s desire for a new contract.
Hendrickson is set to make just $15.8 million in base salary next season and sits outside the top 10 on the list of the NFL’s highest-paid defensive ends. After notching 17.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons, though, he has every right to want to cash in and increase his earnings even if it means moving from one NFL playoff contender to another for 2025.
While the Packers have money, they might not want to throw it into a 30-year-old edge rush who, despite his dominance, could soon reach the exit ramp for his NFL prime.
Will Packers Find Better Edge Rushers in Free Agency?
Trade scenarios are all the rage every year in the aftermath of the Super Bowl, and the Packers could realistically explore some of them, but they do not need to swing for the fences on the trade market to secure a high-level edge rusher for their defensive line.
Depending on how the weeks to come shake out in terms of extensions, the Packers could have some appealing options to consider when NFL free agency starts in March. Josh Sweat is looking like the potential headliner of the free-agent edge rushers, but Chase Young, Marcus Davenport and Malcolm Koonce are also viable targets.
The Packers could also invest their ample cap space into other positions and focus their draft resources on the position instead. At No. 23 overall, there is a strong chance they will have several of the top prospects still on the board, including — potentially — Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart, Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. and Georgia’s Mykel Williams.
That’s not to say a blockbuster trade would not make sense for the Packers, but it does remove the “must-have” element from the equation as they chart their best course.
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