Following the recent news about Trey Hendrickson, the Falcons’ defense could improve significantly once more. The 30-year-old Bengals defensive end is making headlines after making some frank statements about his ongoing contract negotiations, or lack thereof.
This situation begs the question, are the Falcons finished adding? The Falcons’ top two draft decisions were controversial, but they surely helped a struggling defensive line. Adding a superstar like Hendrickson would undoubtedly eliminate any draft question.
Hendrickson, who is entering the final year of his contract extension, is expected to earn $21 million, according to Spotrac. While that may appear sensible, Hendrickson, like the market, disagrees. Myles Garrett’s $40 million AAV is over double that of Hendrickson, making him the highest-paid defensive end.
Atlanta needs Trey Hendrickson more than he needs the Falcons.
Hendrickson deserves to be compensated well for his outstanding performance over the last two seasons. He has 35 sacks in the last two seasons, which leads the NFL by a large margin. An outstanding talent seeking fair compensation.
Would the Falcons like to add him? He could be seeking for a multi-year, high-value extension, since Atlanta recently awarded a comparable contract to another veteran last summer. Because of Kirk Cousins’ contract, the Falcons would likely have to trade him to afford Hendrickson, which would be impossible at this point in the offseason.
Regardless of the challenge, Hendrickson’s presence would add significant value to an underperforming defense with two new edge stars. While there can never be too many edge rushers, Walker won the Butkus Award in 2024, indicating that he is more than just an edge rusher.
Will the Bengals even trade him? After more than a year of contract discussions, Jamar Chase, a fellow Cincinnati superstar, was finally paid, setting a precedent. But Hendrickson is deliberately threatening to sit out, which sometimes works but frequently fails. In either case, Hendrickson may help Atlanta construct a dominant defensive front to complement its dominant secondary.
The Falcons have struggled in sack production over the last six years, and many expected the draft to help Atlanta, which it did. Regardless, adding the reigning sack leader would significantly improve the team’s playoff chances. GM Terry Fontenot and company are likely done signing significant defensive components, but Falcons supporters would love to see Hendrickson wear the Red and Black at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this autumn.
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