Truly elite players at premium positions almost never become available in the NFL. Even when they do, small-market teams like the Arizona Cardinals rarely stand a chance against the league’s more popular franchises.
The Cardinals currently have an incredible opportunity to bring in one of the best players in the NFL. All they have to do is make the call.
Arizona Cardinals can complete defensive rebuild by trading for Trey Hendrickson
The Cincinnati Bengals have completely mishandled their contract negotiations with star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson. After signing Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to extensions earlier in the offseason, the Bengals looked ready to dish out a new contract to Trey Hendrickson.
Now, it looks like the Bengals have completely cut off communication with their superstar defender. Hendrickson is getting frustrated, to say the least.
Hendrickson told ESPN this morning that “No communication has taken place between my camp and the organization post draft.”
He added, “I have been eagerly awaiting a resolution of this situation, but that’s hard to do when there is no discussion and an evident lack of interest in reaching mutual goals.”
It seems like contract talks have stalled in Cincinnati. This is the perfect opportunity for the Arizona Cardinals to swoop in and make a trade offer.
Trey Hendrickson has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL in recent years. He’s had 17.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons. In his eight-year career, he’s produced 77 sacks and 220 tackles.
In 2024, Zaven Collins led the Cardinals in sacks… with five. Arizona has sorely lacked an elite pass rusher for years. They’ve spent the majority of the 2025 offseason trying to fix that issue, adding Josh Sweat, Calais Campbell, and Walter Nolen to their front.
Hendrickson would take this unit from a decent one to one of the best in the league. If it costs Arizona’s first-round pick in 2026, that’s a price the Cardinals should be more than willing to pay.
Of course, the Cardinals would have to consider the contract extension that would come with a Hendrickson trade. After Myles Garrett’s massive contract, Hendrickson’s deal would likely cost around $35 million per year. If they restructure a few existing contracts, Arizona can make room for Hendrickson.
This is the kind of big swing that’s necessary for struggling teams to become Super Bowl contenders. At the very least, the Arizona Cardinals should be making calls to Cincinnati.