The NFL offseason is in full gear, with the regular season just a few months away, and trade rumors are hotter than ever. It's a good time to examine a trade proposal the Green Bay Packers could send to acquire Trey Hendrickson from the Bengals. Hendrickson has become a popular target, as he is unhappy with the Cincinnati Bengals and has demanded a trade.
Looking at the Packers, they had a modestly successful season. However, they fell short in the NFC Wildcard Game, losing badly to the Philadelphia Eagles. Part of the reason for that was their inability to stop Jalen Hurts.
The Hendrickson trade rumors have been hot ever since he issued an ultimatum about his contract. Thus, there has been a lot more talk, not just about his future, but about the teams that could possibly secure his services. The Packers need another pass rusher who can terrorize quarterbacks. Ultimately, they would have to work out the perfect deal to acquire his services.
Packers trade proposal for Trey Hendrickson
Packers receive: Trey Hendrickson
Bengals receive: Barryn Sorrell, 2026 first-round draft Pick, sixth-round draft pick
The Packers would need to send a hefty package to acquire the services of an elite pass rusher like Hendrickson. Significantly, it would have to involve at least one first-round draft pick. The Packers would also need to send a player back to the Bengals who has the potential to be good but has not yet hit that level.
In this case, 2025 fourth-round draft pick Barryn Sorrell would be the perfect player to send. Sorrell has all the potential in the world to be great after notching six sacks and 11 tackles for a loss in his last year of college at the University of Texas. Additionally, he had 44 tackles and 12 quarterback hurries.
The Packers would also ideally need to send a mid-round draft pick. Thus, a sixth-round or seventh-round draft pick would make the most sense. If the Packers really wanted to entice the Bengals, they could send a fifth-rounder to possibly get the Bengals to send them their guy without hesitation.
Why The Packers Need Trey Hendrickson
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The Packers could not stop the Tush Push, and that was one significant reason they lost to the Eagles in the NFC Wildcard Game. Also, they let Hurts do whatever he wanted whenever he was out of the pocket. While it did not reflect as much on the scoreboard, Hurts did enough to beat them, including two touchdown passes.
According to ESPN's pass-rushing metrics, the Packers were also among the worst teams in rushing the passer, ranking 26th. Too often, the Packers relied on blitz packages to cover for their inability to rush the quarterback despite the presence of Rashan Gary on the team. Gary led the team with 7.5 sacks, but there was no one else on the roster who could match him.
Hendrickson would add a disruptive element to the defense. Substantially, adding him could give the Packers the extra weapon on the outside that they lack. It could also help Gary put up a career year because offensive tackles would be worried about which pass rusher to block.
The Packers also want to beat the Eagles and any other team that has an elusive quarterback. So far, they have not been able to get the job done, and their loss to Philadelphia highlighted a broader issue that the Packers have been unable to fix.
Would the Packers trade for Trey Hendrickson
Some believe Hendrickson would be a great fit in Green Bay and that trading for him would be prudent. However, it's worth noting that the last two blockbuster trades the Packers have made resulted in them sending someone out of town. The Packers usually don't trade for superstar players, and have not traded for a cornerstone player since Brett Favre in 1992.
But this new ERA in Green Bay could change things, as the Packers are in a division with the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. Because of this, it could force them to elevate themselves and attempt to get the player who could push them over the edge. The Packers could greatly benefit from this.
Trading for Hendrickson could be beneficial if they only send one first-round draft pick away. Remember, not long ago, the San Francisco 49ers acquired Christian McCaffrey without needing to send a first-round draft pick. If the Packers can come up with a suitable package, they could acquire Hendrickson and pair him with Gary to create one of the most feared pass rushes in the NFL.
