Where Will Trey Hendrickson Land? Plus, The 2 NFL Teams Whose Super Bowl Windows Are SHUTTING | MAILBAG
Mid-June has arrived, and the rare lull on the NFL calendar is about to descend on us all.
It won’t be long now before teams will be waging position battles and grueling practices in the sweltering heat of training camps across the country.
Before looking too far ahead, we dive into the biggest contract standoff playing out across the league this spring, and take some educated guesses on which teams are about to come careening back to earth and which games will be a can’t-miss theater inside this week’s mailbag.
Let’s get after it.
Possible landing places for Trey Hendrickson, and why should it be the Lions?! (Anauthorandhisdog on Threads)
The situation in Cincinnati seems to devolve by the week, with Trey Hendrickson, doesn’t it?
While it still feels unfathomable that an organization would leave its premier defensive player swaying in the breeze like this. But alas, this is Cincinnati.
Hendrickson, 30, is an All-Pro, coming off two consecutive 17.5-sack seasons, is seeking a reworked contract, and the Bengals responded by drafting Shemar Stewart in the first round and telling Hendrickson he’d be fined if he skips out on mandatory minicamp.
This feels like a situation destined to reach a breaking point.
The Lions make the most sense, because they desperately need to add a running mate for Aidan Hutchinson on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage.
Given that Detroit has upwards of $40.12 million in cap space this year, third most in the NFL, but is projected to be more than $50 million over the cap in 2026, finances may be too high a hurdle even for general manager Brad Holmes to clear.
According to one veteran NFL scout, there are three situations that make sense for Hendrickson, as a next destination.
“Off the top of my head,” an NFL scout tells me, on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about another team. “The Chargers could be a great fit, and the Rams and Cardinals would both be really good fits, too. It could come down to money if the Chargers or Rams are willing to meet Trey’s number.”
Arizona would be a compelling destination, opposite Josh Sweat and alongside interior rusher/run-stuffer Dalvin Tomlinson in head coach Jonathan Gannon’s swarming defensive line.
Meanwhile, if the Chargers add Hendrickson to replace Joey Bosa and tell him to race Khalil Mack to the quarterback all game, the Chargers have the potential to throw their weight around in the AFC.
As the standoff in Cincinnati continues, the question isn't if Hendrickson will change teams, but which contender will seize the opportunity to add one of the league's most disruptive edge rushers, for what could prove to be a bargain as the Bengals seem as intent on casting their leverage in this situation aside as they do one of the game’s most underrated edge rushers.
If any, are there any teams where it feels like this may be the final year of a Super Bowl window? ( )
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