When the Ravens handed Trey Hendrickson a four-year, $112 million contract this offseason, they weren’t making a backup plan. They were making a bet. Baltimore brought him in to be the lead edge rusher, the kind of player who can finish drives, tilt games and help anchor what looks like a Super Bowl-caliber defense.
That investment has already produced a little of everything through two games. Hendrickson was barely noticeable in the opener against the Indianapolis Colts, then flashed in a loss to the New Orleans Saints with three tackles and a sack. Now comes the chance to turn that strong Week 2 showing into something bigger.
Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys in Brazil gives Hendrickson a clear stage to justify the price tag. The matchup should demand exactly the kind of impact Baltimore had in mind when it paid him. Dallas brings a fast, productive offense that can score in bunches and keep pace with Lamar Jackson’s group, which means the Ravens will need their pass rush to show up.
The numbers say the Cowboys’ offense has been one of the league’s best so far, ranking third in EPA per play and fourth in success rate. But there’s a soft spot up front.
Left tackle Tyler Guyton came into camp fighting for a job after two disappointing seasons, and he’s already allowed four pressures this year. Across his first two seasons, he gave up 57 pressures and eight sacks.
On the other side, Terence Steele has allowed three pressures and a sack in 2026 and has spent recent offseasons on shaky ground in Dallas.
That’s the kind of matchup Hendrickson can exploit. His burst and technique off the edge give him a real path to making life miserable for both tackles. And while he may not be at the exact same level he was during those back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons a few years ago, he still sits among the most dangerous edge defenders in football.
Hendrickson is the eighth-highest paid edge defender in the NFL by yearly average, so this is the sort of game that comes with expectations attached. Baltimore paid for a difference-maker. In Brazil, he gets a chance to remind everyone why.
In Other News...
Ravens Brazil Game Just Got An Unexpected Halftime Twist
The Ravens trip to Brazil is getting a bigger spotlight than just the football itself, with Ricky Martin set to headline the halftime show when Baltimore faces the Cowboys. Hell be joined onstage by Brazilian funk star Pedro Sampaio, adding a local flavor to a matchup already notable as part of the NFLs push into an international market.
For Baltimore, its another reminder that this game is being staged as more than a regular-season date on the schedule. Martin brings worldwide recognition and prior NFL halftime experience, while Sampaio gives the event a distinctly Brazilian edge, making the midgame break one more part of a night designed to feel like a showcase. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Fans Already Have A Dak Problem Before Rio Kickoff
The NFLs first regular-season game in Rio de Janeiro is already drawing attention before kickoff, with the Cowboys and Ravens set to meet at Maracan Stadium in a showcase that feels as much about the setting as the matchup. Players who saw the field came away saying it was very soft, adding an immediate layer of uncertainty to a trip that was supposed to spotlight two of the leagues biggest brands on an international stage.
Off the field, the pregame presentation has also stirred conversation, especially among Cowboys fans who took issue with the caricatures of Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson displayed around the stadium. Prescotts likeness in particular drew plenty of criticism online for how unflattering it looked, giving Dallas supporters something else to gripe about before the football even starts. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Week 1 Opener Suddenly Has A Serious Brazil Problem
The Ravens Week 1 trip to Brazil is drawing some unexpected attention before either team takes the field, and it has nothing to do with travel or atmosphere. The Cowboys-Ravens matchup at Rio de Janeiros Maracana Stadium has sparked concerns about the condition of the playing surface, with league and union officials already weighing in on the work being done to improve traction and stability.
NFL Players Association executive director JC Tretter and NFL field director Nick Pappas have both addressed the efforts underway to get the surface ready, underscoring just how closely this one is being watched. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has said he feels confident about playing there, but for Baltimore, the bigger question is whether the field is going to be in acceptable shape by kickoff. [Read more 🡒]