Trey Hendrickson

Hendrickson had the best season of his career in 2023 by nearly any measure. That began with his ability to stay on the field, as he managed to play a full season for the first time since 2021. The result was a career-high 714 defensive snaps, 17.5 sacks and 43 total tackles. Hendrickson's calling card remains his ability as a pass rusher, and he's finished no worse than 11th in quarterback pressures in each of the last three years (per PFF). While he's unlikely to replicate his sack total from last season, his ability to get to the quarterback consistently illustrates his ability to disrupt offenses and rack up production. Hendrickson's limitations as a defender against the run will cut out some of his upside relative to the elite defensive lineman, but there will be a nearly guaranteed level of production for anyone rostering him.

Hendrickson is a good example of how and when to pay up in free agency. The Bengals paid a high price to reel in Hendrickson off the open market, but it was worthwhile because he’s a proven producer who’s still in his prime. He was an instant impact defender for Cincy, following up his 13.5-sack 2020 season with 14 in his first year with the Bengals. Unfortunately, the tackle totals will always be modest.

Hendrickson is coming off a career-year with the Saints, having notched 13.5 sacks playing opposite Cameron Jordan at defensive end. For his efforts, Cincinnati rewarded him with a four-year, $60 million deal, costing the Bengals more than what his predecessor, Carl Lawson, got with the Jets. We'll see if Hendrickson can replicate his success without opposing teams focusing on an elite teammate, such as he had with the Saints.