The fact that the Cincinnati Bengals are allowing star defensive end Trey Hendrickson to seek a trade this offseason could alter everything for the franchise, including its strategy for the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft and free agency.
The Bengals were already expected to add an edge rusher at some point in the draft anyway -- and probably pretty early -- as that position was a major area of need for the team last season, even with Hendrickson performing at an extremely high level.
But, now that there's a real possibility that Hendrickson has played his last down as a member of the Bengals, it's absolutely paramount that the team adds an elite edge rusher in the draft, and maybe more than one.
Bengals need to prioritize edge rusher in the draft, free agency
A potential Hendrickson trade might mean that the Bengals will try to add an edge rusher even earlier in the draft than they would have otherwise, and it could also mean that they'll dedicate a later-round pick to a second edge, as opposed to adding depth at another position.
Keep in mind, if Hendrickson is ultimately traded, that would mean that both of Cincinnati's starting defensive ends from last season would be gone, as Sam Hubbard has already announced his retirement from football.
More Cincinnati Bengals news: Bengals legend calls out organization for using franchise tag on Tee Higgins again
The Bengals have a couple of promising players at the position in Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy, but both guys are relatively unproven. Ossai has just three career starts under his belt, and he played in just over 50 percent of all defensive snaps for Cincinnati last season. Murphy has never started a game, and he played only 40 percent of available snaps in 2024. Ossai is also headed for free agency, so there's no guarantee that he'll even be back in Cincy.
The same logic can be applied to free agency. If Hendrickson is going to be out of the picture, adding a veteran edge (or two) climbs up the ladder of importance for Cincinnati. It's good to have youth at the position, but as a team firmly in win-now mode, the Bengals will probably want some experience on the outside as well.
There are some solid edge rushers who will be available on the market, including Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick, Khalil Mack, and Joey Bosa, just to name a few. For what it's worth, the Bengals were recently listed as a potential landing spot for Bosa.
Obviously price point will matter for a team known for pinching pennies, but if they can get one of those guys -- or a comparably productive player -- at a reasonable rate, then that would be a good add, and could help to offset the potential loss of Hendrickson.
So, this isn't rocket science here. Hubbard is retired. Hendrickson is likely gone. The Bengals now need even more help on the edges than they already did, and that fact could alter everything that they do this offseason.