The Washington Commanders' offseason plans so far have revolved around getting Jayden Daniels help, with general manager GM Adam Peters trading for Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil.
But the Commanders need help defensively, particularly at edge, after Dante Fowler Jr., who led the team in sacks last season (10.5), is now with the Dallas Cowboys.
So where is the most notable place for the Commanders to find a stud starters who could instantly impact coach Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.'s defense?
In Cincinnati.
And it's time to renew those rumors.
Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals have hit a major roadblock, with the star defensive end going public with the news that the team has ended its contract negotiations with him.
"Rather than using collaboration to get us to a point to bring me home to the team, THEY are no longer communicating. I have been eagerly awaiting a resolution of this situation, but that's hard to do when there is no discussion and an evident lack of interest in reaching mutual goals," Hendrickson said in a statement to ESPN.
Hendrickson adds that the Bengals have broken a promise here.
“No communication has taken place between my camp and the organization post draft,'' he said. "The (contract extension) offers prior to the draft did not reflect the vision we shared and were promised last offseason if I continued to play at a high level.
There is the wild card here. If DC is really in go-for-it mode, the idea of "winning a trade'' with the Bengals for star pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson can be in play.
He's a 17.5 sacks guy wanting to happen (again) ... and we believe he wants $30 million per year to do it. ... rather than what he is set to earn this year, $15.8 million in base salary in the final year of his contract.
Is that a shortcut to the Super Bowl?
Washington has made it clear that it will be going all out for the Super Bowl in 2025. This is as "going all out'' as there is.