The Baltimore Ravens have quickly pivoted from their failed Maxx Crosby trade. Just hours after the deal collapsed, the team made a massive $112 million move. They've signed a star defensive end from a key division rival.

Former Cincinnati Bengals star, Trey Hendrickson, and the Baltimore Ravens have agreed upon a 4-year, $112M deal.

The New Orleans Saints first selected him in the 3rd round (103rd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. Then, in 2021, he signed a 4-year, $60M worth contract with the Bengals. In 2023, the Bengals added a 1-year extension through the 2025 season. But the drama does not end there.

In 2025, after a contract dispute, the deal was reworked to give him a raise, increasing his 2025 salary to about $30 million for that season. Ahead of the 2026 season, Trey Hendrickson wanted a bigger long-term contract, which the Bengals disagreed with. The Ravens were all in.

He has been one of the NFL’s best pass rushers, even leading the league with 17.5 sacks in 2024. The DE saw a dip due to injuries in 2025 and only had 11 solo tackles, 5 assists, and 4.0 sacks in 7 games. Despite strong numbers, there was skepticism around the deal.

The Ravens Were Warned About Replacing Maxx Crosby With Hendrickson

Former NFL offensive lineman Ross Tucker had warned the Ravens about this move on his The Ross Tucker Football Podcast.

“If the Ravens end up signing Trey Hendrickson, that’s gonna invite all kinds of speculation that they actually had buyer’s remorse with Maxx Crosby, and that it wasn’t really a failed physical," he said.

However, he also reasoned that the Ravens needed an elite edge-rusher. Last season, they were tied for 29th in the NFL with just 30 sacks, and no player had more than five. If we leave the 2025 season out, Hendrickson has done that for five straight seasons.

But Crosby is as good a player, if not better than Hendrickson. He has recorded at least 7 sacks in every season since entering the league in 2019. The Raiders star recorded 364 tackles in his first six seasons, the most by a defensive lineman in team history during that span.

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Written by

Reyansh Dubey

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar