The Baltimore Ravens are keeping their first-round picks and still landing a premier pass rusher. On paper, it’s a win/win for the franchise after backing out of the Maxx Crosby deal due to reported medical concerns. The next morning, Hendrickson had a deal in place. Of course, he must pass a physical, too, but assuming lightning doesn’t strike twice, the deal will become official shortly.
Pittsburgh is left to deal with Hendrickson again. He tormented the Steelers during his nine seasons in Cincinnati. But the situation could’ve been much worse.
Revealed by Adam Schefter on Wednesday morning, the Ravens attempted to trade for Maxx Crosby and sign Trey Hendrickson. This move would’ve given them two of the NFL’s top pass rushers.
Is that spin? Baltimore doth protest too much to say, no, we really wanted Crosby. As our Josh Carney pointed out, Michigan messaging from the Ravens’ organization to Schefter, who has deep ties to the Wolverines? Maybe it’s all smoke, though DeCosta himself went on-record about it during a Wednesday presser.
The good news is it didn’t become reality. Dealing with one of Crosby or Hendrickson is tough enough. Dealing with both feels impossible.
Minimizing one stud rusher is possible. Pittsburgh’s done so with Myles Garrett. But it comes at a cost. More blockers mean fewer players running routes. Play-action is limited, and boot games to the rusher’s side are out of the question. Time and energy are dedicated to simply not getting destroyed up front before even thinking about how the offense will score.
There’s no game plan for handling both. The team could assign extra support to deal with one, but the other would be on an island. In practice, that might leave Pittsburgh’s left tackle – Dylan Cook, Broderick Jones, or whoever gets the nod – one-on-one with Hendrickson. Big problems ahead.
Even if just Crosby arrived in Baltimore, he’s easily better than Hendrickson. Three years younger, much stronger against the run, and he never leaves the field. Apples to apples, Hendrickson is easier to manage than Crosby.
Factor in the Ravens keeping their first-round picks and having Hendrickson, and the math becomes much closer. But when the ball kicks off for the first Pittsburgh/Baltimore game of 2026, it’s a good thing Crosby isn’t on the other side.
Baltimore has problems. Its roster lies gutted, as key free agents signed elsewhere. The Steelers won’t be sad to see C Tyler Linderbaum or TE Isaiah Likely exit the AFC North. But even the idea of Hendrickson and Crosby on the same defensive line was a nightmare. Pittsburgh still has to contend with Hendrickson, and who knows what comes of Baltimore’s first-round picks. But tonight, Mike McCarthy and the offensive staff are sleeping a little easier.
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