Let’s establish two points right up front. Were the Washington Commanders to swing a trade for Cincinnati Bengals' All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson, he would become the best pass rusher the team has had at least since Ryan Kerrigan, who never came close to matching the 35 sacks he has accumulated over the past two seasons.
The second point is Hendrickson doesn't compare to Myles Garrett.
The “forget precedent and do whatever it takes to get him” philosophy that might apply to Garrett cannot apply to Hendrickson, no matter how good he could look in a Commanders' uniform.
Adam Peters swooped in on the San Francisco 49ers when they were forced to shed some salary and worked out a good deal for wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. The Bengals are in a similar situation. Their desire to retain an offensive core of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins leaves little room for Hendrickson.
The timing here is crucial.
Bengals’ general manager Duke Tobin had been saying publicly that he hoped to extend Hendrickson. Then news of Maxx Crosby’s deal with the Las Vegas Raiders broke. He realized that a new market for elite defensive ends had been established and that Cincinnati was unlikely to be able to meet his demands.
This is important for the Commanders, or for any team interested in acquiring Hendrickson. Peters is not likely to give up the draft capital required to complete a trade if he thinks this is a single-year addition. That's not the way he works.
Peters would want to work out a contract extension to keep him in Washington through 2026 or 2027. Fortunately, the front-office leader has proven to be very shrewd in his short time at the helm in D.C. He is unlikely to make a bad decision.
Commanders face difficult decision between Trey Hendrickson and Myles Garrett this offseason
In terms of draft capital, Washington is not currently operating from a position of strength.
Paul Dehner Jr. from The Athletic put together a useful article sketching out what players similar to Hendrickson have fetched in recent years. Only one premium edge rusher — Bradley Chubb in 2022 — required a first-round pick in return. Coincidentally, that first-rounder happened to be the 29th pick — the same pick the Commanders own.
Chubb was four years younger than Hendrickson at the time. Most high-end pass rushers, from productive veterans like Von Miller and Khalil Mack to promising youngsters such as Brian Burns and Washington’s own Montez Sweat, have required a second-round pick.
Due to an exceptional 2024 season, the Commanders' second-round selection doesn’t come until pick No. 61. Barring a massive downturn in the market, that simply won’t be enough for Hendrickson. So Peters will have to do some juggling.
He may give up the first-rounder and other considerations for Hendrickson and later-round picks this year. That is the deal proposed by Ben Standig from The Athletic, and it makes some sense.
Peters also might make a separate deal for his first-round pick, trading back for additional capital. He could then use some combination to acquire Hendrickson while restocking his cupboard.
The Commanders have made it clear that building through the draft with Peters is the preferred route. That is what almost every quality organization does. It is far more efficient and cost-effective than buying high priced free agents from other franchises.
Trading a first-round pick is anathema to this philosophy. When Peters was in San Francisco, he no doubt saw that John Lynch would not surrender a first-round pick for an elite young weapon like Christian McCaffrey. He gave up multiple high picks, but not a first-rounder.
The recent acquisition of Samuel may not have cost much, but it did further deplete Washington’s draft resources. They have six picks and only three within the first 200. Trading for Hendrickson would further deplete those selections and seriously limit his ability to acquire new ones.
Then there’s the compensation in terms of salary.
Crosby’s deal is for three years, $106.5 million, with most of it guaranteed. That works out to roughly $35 million per year. That’s almost $10 million per season more than Washington’s current highest-paid player, Daron Payne.
Would Peters be willing to break the team’s salary structure, especially when it would mean more than $50 million would be tied up in two defensive linemen?
Hendrickson will not get Crosby-type money. The Raiders' franchise player is three years younger and far more valuable to Las Vegas. But the former third-round pick's representatives are going to make demands that approach this ballpark and he is under no obligation to sign an extension.
Financially, no matter how attractive it might appear, it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Which brings us back to Garrett. The Cleveland Browns are saying they will not trade him, so this is a moot issue for now. Were the Browns to have a change of heart, everything about Hendrickson would apply to a potential deal. And I would make that deal in a heartbeat.
Hendrickson is very good. Garrett is going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He is a year younger than Hendrickson. He has shown no signs of slowing down. He has been a consistently dominant player throughout his career. He is a much more complete player. When he is on the field, Garrett makes a major impact on every play.
Peters may have some magic up his sleeve that can acquire Hendrickson without bankrupting his supply of draft picks. He may be able to sell the edge threat on taking slightly less money to join one of the most promising young teams in the entire league. But that's unlikely.
The Commanders could be waiting for Garrett. That is the player for whom you break open the piggy bank.
