The Dallas Cowboys already made waves earlier this season by landing linebacker Logan Wilson from the Bengals. Now, they could be eyeing another key piece from Cincinnati's defense - All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson.
With Hendrickson set to hit free agency next year and currently sidelined following core muscle surgery, the Cowboys are being floated as a potential landing spot. And it makes a lot of sense.
Let’s start with the obvious: Hendrickson is a game-wrecker. At 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, he’s built to terrorize quarterbacks, and he’s done just that throughout his nine-year career.
He’s racked up 81 sacks, including back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024 - a stretch of dominance that puts him in elite company among NFL pass rushers. Even this season, despite playing in just seven games before the injury, he still managed to notch four sacks.
That kind of production doesn’t grow on trees.
So why Dallas?
Well, the Cowboys have already shown interest. Back when the Micah Parsons contract saga was reaching its boiling point - a standoff that ultimately ended with Parsons being traded to Green Bay - the Cowboys reached out to Cincinnati about Hendrickson as a potential replacement.
That didn’t materialize at the time, but the interest was real. And with Hendrickson now heading toward free agency and the Bengals sitting at 4-9 and out of the playoff mix, the timing could finally line up.
Of course, fitting Hendrickson into the Cowboys’ plans won’t be easy. The team is projected to be nearly $48 million over the salary cap.
But this is Jerry Jones we’re talking about. Cap gymnastics are practically a sport in Dallas, and if they believe Hendrickson is the missing piece, they’ll find a way to make the numbers work.
And make no mistake - he could be that missing piece.
Even with the additions of Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark bolstering the interior of the defensive line, Dallas still needs a consistent edge threat to complement the interior pressure. That’s where Hendrickson comes in.
His ability to win with speed, bend, and power off the edge would give the Cowboys a true bookend pass rusher who can force quarterbacks off their spot and into the waiting arms of the interior. He’s not just a pass-rushing specialist, either - he holds up well against the run, making him a three-down player.
Perhaps most importantly, Hendrickson’s presence would help mask some of the issues in the Cowboys’ secondary. A dominant pass rush has a way of making even an average coverage unit look a lot better. With Hendrickson crashing in from the edge and Williams and Clark collapsing the pocket up the middle, Dallas could suddenly field one of the most disruptive defensive fronts in football.
The Cowboys have been aggressive in building out their defense, and adding Hendrickson would be a continuation of that mindset. He’s a proven difference-maker who fits exactly what Dallas needs: toughness, experience, and the ability to change a game on any snap.
If the Cowboys want to take the next step and push deeper into the postseason, this is the kind of move that could get them there. When Hendrickson hits free agency, Dallas would be wise to make sure they’re the first team on the phone.