The Chicago Bears have thus far spent more resources on the offense than the defense this offseason. Could they still swing the pendulum in the other direction?
Chicago's pass rush was one of their biggest weaknesses last year, and the big name generating buzz around the league this week is a top-tier pass-rusher: Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hendrickson is entering the final year of his contract with a $15.8 million base salary, and he's refusing to practice until he gets a new contract. That's led many to believe he could be traded, as Cincinnati already shelled out monster new deals for wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this winter.
If Hendrickson is on the trade market, there will be teams all over the NFL looking to get their hands on the NFL sacks leader from this past season. It's not hard to envision the Bears being one of those teams for the right price.
During a recent livestream, Bleacher Report's Mitch Milani came up with a hypothetical trade package for the Bears to try and pry Hendrickson loose from Cincinnati's grasp.
"The Chicago Bears... will send a 2026 third and fourth-round pick to get a partner for Montez Sweat and reunite Trey Hendrickson with Dennis Allen to be the cherry on top of Chicago's defense," Milani said.
At age 30, Hendrickson still seems to have a few good years left on the tires, which is crucial because the Bears would seemingly have to give him an extension if they want him on their side.
The Bengals might also want to get Hendrickson off their books sooner rather than later to avoid a holdout in training camp. But the official trade deadline isn't until November.
