Trey Hendrickson
Getty
The Bills may have been Trey Hendrickson's top landing spot in free agency before the Ravens swooped in late and signed him
The Buffalo Bills have been busy to begin the offseason, but it’s clear that they need to make some serious moves if they want to get over the hump in their quest to finally win a Super Bowl. Reports indicate that the team made a serious push to sign defensive end Trey Hendrickson, but it looks like he will be signing with one of their top rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, instead.
The sting of losing Hendrickson is already pretty severe, but watching the Ravens go and sign him will only make things worse. Beyond that, a new update on the Bills’ pursuit of Hendrickson in free agency will likely only irritate their fans even more as the front office heads back to the drawing board when it comes to its pursuit of a star pass rusher.
Bills Were Trey Hendrickson’s Top Landing Spot in Free Agency
Jeremy Fowler
The Colts, Bills, Bucs, Commanders and Eagles all were involved in Trey Hendrickson’s free agency before the All-Pro agreed to terms with the Ravens, per sources.
The Colts felt like they were close at one point.
The Eagles got involved late.
Tampa pursued but on a
While the majority of the top free agents in the NFL flew off the board, Hendrickson took his time to see how his market would unfold. Initially, it seemed like the Bills were one of his top landing spots, given his desire to sign a multi-year contract with a de facto Super Bowl contender. Other teams, like the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles, were in the mix, but it seemed like the Bills made the most sense for Hendrickson.
Everything changed on Tuesday when, out of the blue, the Ravens entered the race for Hendrickson’s services. This was surprising, largely because Baltimore just acquired Maxx Crosby in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. Of course, as we all know now, Crosby failed his physical with the Ravens, resulting in them backing out of their deal for him.
Baltimore’s front office shifted its attention to Hendrickson, and the end result saw him land a four-year, $112 million contract on Wednesday morning. The developments were stunning for all the teams involved in the race for Hendrickson’s signature, but none more so than the Buffalo, who reportedly were viewed as the superstar pass rusher’s top landing spot.
“Hendrickson wanted a long-term deal with a contender. Buffalo fit that mold. But Baltimore put it over the top Tuesday night,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported in a post on X.
Where Do the Bills Go After Missing Out on Trey Hendrickson?
Trey Hendrickson edge rusher Cincinnati Bengals
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 07: Trey Hendrickson #91 of the Cincinnati Bengals plays against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on September 07, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Another problem when it comes to the Bills missing out on Hendrickson is that many of the other top options are already off the market. Buffalo could conceivably pursue a trade for Crosby, but his injury situation is up in the air (even if it appears Baltimore simply got cold feet and decided to back out of its trade for him at the last second).
The 2026 NFL Draft looms large for the Bills now, but landing a top-tier pass rusher is a serious need for this team, especially when considering their Super Bowl aspirations. Nobody knows how close Buffalo was to signing Hendrickson, but it looks like it had the inside track when it comes to landing him, and its inability to get a deal over the finish line could come back to haunt the team in 2026 and beyond.