The Green Bay Packers might be gearing up to make a big trade this offseason and there’s a good chance it could involve an edge rusher.
The Packers’ pass rush had its moments, ranking eighth in the NFL with 46 sacks, but it was an average group overall, ranking 16th in pressure rate. While Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare are slated to have starting roles coming into next year, the addition of one impact pass rusher could take Green Bay’s defense to the next level.
Fortunately for the Packers, one became available and could be acquired just as Green Bay prepares for free agency.
Bengals Give Trey Hendrickson Permission to Seek Trade
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Cincinnati Bengals have given All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson permission to seek a trade. Hendrickson has spent the last four seasons with the Bengals, collecting 57 sacks and leading the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season and could be exactly what the Packers need to jump start their pass rush.
The #Bengals have given Pro Bowl Edge Trey Hendrickson permission to seek a trade, per me and @TomPelissero. pic.twitter.com/mTyi4M5rjx
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 6, 2025
Hendrickson hasn’t just been great for the Bengals, he’s been dominant among the league’s best pass rushers. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, only T.J. Watt (73.5) and Myles Garrett (72.0) have more sacks than Hendrickson’s 70.5 over the past five years and that trio are the only players with more than 60 sacks since 2020.
The Packers may also covet Hendrickson in that it’s easier to acquire him than another target such as Garrett. According to Over The Cap, Hendrickson is set to cost $18.6 million in the final year of his contract. Although he may be seeking an extension, it could also be a shorter term than Garrett would require on a new deal that would bring him to Green Bay.
Mix in the fact the Browns are hellbent on keeping Garrett due to a $16.4 million cap penalty if he’s traded by June 1, Hendrickson seems like the superior target. The Packers seem willing to do what it takes to make a deal and it could give them a new pass-rusher ahead of the 2025 season.