Trey Hendrickson.
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Trey Hendrickson is a free agent, and plenty of teams have interest, but the Detroit Lions shouldn't count themselves out yet.
Heading into the early moments of the official start of NFL free agency, former Cincinnati Bengals edge Trey Hendrickson is off the table and no longer available to the Detroit Lions.
Around 9 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, March 11, Adam Schefter of ESPN dropped the news that the Baltimore Ravens and Trey Hendrickson reached agreement on a four-year, $112 million contract. “Hendrickson stays in the AFC North, and now will be facing Joe Burrow and the Bengals twice a season,” Schefter noted.
Now, the only remaining “elite” edge in free agency is Las Vegas Raiders edge Maxx Crosby. In a startling move, on Tuesday, March 10, ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced that the Ravens backed out of their high-profile deal to acquire Crosby. Now we know why.
Detroit Lions’ Edge Situation Starts With Aidan Hutchinson
The Detroit Lions already have an elite edge in Aidan Hutchinson, who notched 14.5 sacks, 36 solo tackles and four forced fumbles in 17 games with the team, according to Pro Football Reference, during the 2025-26 season. But, he needs a partner, and that’s where the idea to bring Hendrickson or Crosby in came in.
Before Wednesday, Hendrickson was named the No. 1 remaining free agent for the 2026-27 NFL season, according to the Athletic’s updated tally of available free agents.
In the piece, Daniel Popper of The Athletic noted that “Hendrickson has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the NFL over the past five seasons,” Daniel Popper of The Athletic states in the piece. “He has the third-most sacks in the league since 2020 with 74.5, and he played in only seven games last season due to a core-muscle injury that required surgery.”
Popper continued, “Hendrickson plays with a relentless, urgent motor that puts crushing pressure on a tackle’s outside shoulder. He turns the corner and finishes with a straight-line burst, always hunting for the ball.”
According to research from Spotrac, Hendrickson is worth $25 million per year, making him one of the highest-paid edge rushers in the NFL. His deals stands up to that.
The Detroit Lions Could Go After Maxx Crosby
So, now, it comes down to whether the Lions want to pay up to get Crosby on their team. The good news is that according to Dianna Russini of the Athletic, the Dallas Cowboys are no longer going to pursue him, so that leaves less competition.
“The Dallas Cowboys are not expected to re-engage in Maxx Crosby trade discussions at this time, a high-ranking source tells The Athletic,” she stated on a post on X.
According to a report from Ryan McFadden of ESPN, Baltimore backed out of the deal due to Crosby’s physical.
“No further details were provided in the Raiders’ announcement, but league sources told ESPN the Ravens backed out because of medical concerns that arose during a physical,” McFadden stated. “Trades are contingent on players passing the physical and aren’t official until the start of the new league year Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET.”
Whether or not the Lions go after Crosby, at least the team has Hutchinson. But, seeing Crosby and Hutch together would be nothing short of electrifying.