The Dallas Cowboys have had a quiet offseason, but this move could bolster them to the top of the league’s conversations. Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport is predicting the Cowboys could be on the rise to sign a three-year, $97.5 million contract with Trey Hendrickson.
“The Dallas Cowboys are annually in salary cap purgatory, and 2026 is no different—the team has restructured a number of deals just to get under the salary cap. But while speaking to reporters, Cowboys grand poobah Jerry Jones said that the Cowboys aren’t done—and that they will be active in free agency.”
— Gary Davenport, Bleacher Report
Davenport's projection comes on the heels of Dallas falling out of the running for Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby. According to NFL insider Trey Wingo, the franchise led by 83-year old Jerry Jones believed they were close to a deal for Crosby before other teams raised the asking price to two first-round picks, a cost Dallas was unwilling to absorb. With that door closed, Hendrickson emerges as the next best option.
Hendrickson, 31, enters free agency after the Cincinnati Bengals declined to use the franchise tag on him. As recently as the 2024 season, Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks and earned first-team All-Pro honors. However, a back and hip injury that required surgery in December limited him to just four sacks in seven appearances during 2025 — a health concern that will likely factor into any negotiations.
Pro Football Focus projects Hendrickson to sign a one-year deal worth $21 million, while Spotrac calculates his market value at two years and $50.9 million, making Davenport's $97.5 million projection the most aggressive figure floated so far.
NFL free agency opens on March 11.
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