After an utterly wild couple of days for the Baltimore Ravens, they ultimately came out with an elite pass rusher to add to new head coach Jesse Minter’s defense. On Wednesday, they agreed to terms on a four-year, $112 million contract with edge rusher Trey Hendrickson.
Hendrickson will bring the firepower that Baltimore has missed off the edge since Terrell Suggs left. They get him locked up on a long-term deal, which should hopefully revive a stagnant pass rush and abysmal overall defense from 2025.
Hendrickson’s arrival in Charm City also has an extra benefit. In addition to getting $60 million in guaranteed money and a chance at contending for a Super Bowl, the 31-year-old will have a golden opportunity to make his former team, the Cincinnati Bengals, pay in some heated divisional matchups.
Baltimore Ravens’ Trey Hendrickson will have chance to make Cincinnati Bengals pay
The Ravens are very thankful to get Hendrickson on their side. Not only did they need a dominant edge rusher, but Hendrickson was also a thorn in their side during his Cincinnati tenure.
In 2025, he was injured for both showdowns, and in 2024, Baltimore did a good job of maintaining him, but in the years before that, he was feasting on the opposing offensive line. He has five career sacks in eight games versus the Ravens, all of which came in a six-game stretch from 2021 to 2023. Now, he’ll turn that aggression against his former organization.
When you’re going up against division rivals, players have a chip on their shoulders. Hendrickson may have a chip on both shoulders, given how his tenure with the Bengals ended. It wasn’t very pretty.
Hendrickson’s contract standoff with Cincinnati was well-documented. In 2024, he requested a trade as he sought a long-term contract. He never got that, which eventually led to a hold-in during offseason activities in 2025, before signing a one-year, $30 million deal ahead of the regular season. The marriage eventually ended after the Bengals declined to use the franchise tag on him.
After all that, it’s clear that Hendrickson still has respect for the organization. He spent his best years there after all, which included a Super Bowl appearance. However, it’s also fair to say things grew sour, and he could get the last laugh after agreeing to a contract with the Ravens. Those Baltimore-Cincinnati clashes should be a joy to watch, and Hendrickson lining up across from his former team will certainly be a major storyline in 2026.
Hopefully, Hendrickson gets some revenge against the Bengals while also helping the Ravens get back to the postseason and over the playoff hump.