Bengals Roster: Realistic expectations for Trey Hendrickson in 2023

The Cincinnati Bengals surprised some people in 2021 when they opted to sign Trey Hendrickson over re-signing Carl Lawson, who had led the team in sacks during the 2020 season.

Hendrickson was coming off of a sensational season with the New Orleans Saints, having notched 13.5 sacks through 15 starts. While it was an impressive season for sure, some were skeptical about Hendrickson, wondering if he was the victim of a one-year wonder.

Hendrickson proved that wasn't the case, as during his inaugural season in Cincinnati, he had 14.0 sacks in 16 games. That sack total set the record for the most sacks in a single-season in Bengals history.

While Hendrickson's 2022 season wasn't as prolific, he was still a huge part of the Bengals' defense. He finished the year with an overall PFF grade of 85.0 and a sparkling pass-rush grade of 90.0. The problem was that when Hendrickson wasn't on the field, the Bengals struggled to get pressure.

What should Bengals fans expect from Trey Hendrickson in 2023?

With Myles Murphy added to the fray, Hendrickson should be able to feast on opposing quarterbacks once again. He might not have had double-digit sacks in 2022 but he did still come close with 8.0. He missed one game due to injury too so who knows how that game could have gone for him.

Fortunately, Hendrickson has been mostly healthy during his Bengals tenure, missing just two starts since joining the Stripes and one of those starts was the Week 18 game in the 2021 season when the Bengals rested most of their starters.

Unless something crazy happens or an injury occurs, Hendrickson will be starting and should be one of the scariest pass-rushers in the AFC.