On March 10, 2026, the NFL world was in complete and utter disbelief. In a shocking turn of events, the Baltimore Ravens suddenly backed out of the Maxx Crosby trade with the Las Vegas Raiders after a failed physical.
The fallout came less than 13 hours before the beginning of the NFL’s new league year. When the new league year begins, all transactions made between teams prior to its start are finalized.
It allowed the Ravens to keep their two first-round picks, one in this year’s draft, the other for 2027. Prior to the trade, the Ravens had never given up two first-round picks for one player in their franchise’s history. Historically, they’ve built their superstar teams of the past through the draft, a trend that continues to this day.
Then, on the morning of March 11th, it was announced that the Baltimore Ravens were signing All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson to a four-year, $112 million contract, with a max value of $120 million.
Hendrickson had previously been on the Cincinnati Bengals for the past five years of his career.
Now, the Ravens have their premier edge rusher and first-round pick of this year’s draft. This creates several questions relating to the Baltimore Ravens:
How can Trey Hendrickson transform this Baltimore Ravens defense? What does this mean for the Ravens and their Super Bowl window? Let’s analyze what Trey Hendrickson brings to the table.
Coming out of Florida Atlantic University, Trey Hendrickson was taken in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft to the New Orleans Saints. In his first three years with the organization, Hendrickson didn’t perform at a superstar level. He played 30 games, starting in 3, out of a possible 48 games. He totaled 6.5 sacks, 25 solo tackles, and 6 tackles for losses.
Then, in 2020, he had a breakout season tallying up 13.5 sacks, 22 solo tackles, and 12 tackles for losses. It was also his final season with the Saints, as he took his talents to the AFC North joining the Cincinnati Bengals. The team had just completed a 4-11-1 season with a rookie Joe Burrow.
Going into the 2021 NFL season, the Bengals were a team with moderate expectations, with most expecting them to win about 6-8 games during the season. However, these expectations would be proven too low for the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals.
Photo Credit: October 12, 2020, Week 5, Saints vs. Chargers (Michael C. Herbert/New Orleans Saints
In his first season with the Bengals, Hendrickson racked up 14 sacks, 21 solo tackles, and 12 tackles for losses. His impact on the team helped the Bengals achieve a 10-7 record, winning their division, and making the playoffs.
Additionally, he made his first Pro Bowl of his career. Hendrickson’s defensive contributions tremendously helped the Bengals on their path to Super Bowl LVI.
They beat the Las Vegas Raiders in the Wild Card, the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round, and most famously, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Conference Championship.
However, they faced the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl, ultimately losing 20-23 in a heartbreaking loss. They didn’t make another Super Bowl throughout Hendrickson’s time with the franchise, but he made a name for himself in Cincinnati.
Throughout his next four seasons, Hendrickson amounted to 47 sacks, 94 solo tackles, and 44 tackles for loss. He also made three additional Pro Bowl selections, and one All-Pro selection.
In 2024, the premier edge rusher would have his best season tallying up 17.5 sacks, 33 solo tackles, and 19 tackles for losses. However, the Bengals went 9-8, barely missing the playoffs. He made his first All-Pro in this season, and tied his own personal career high in sacks.
In the offseason of the 2025 NFL Season, Hendrickson’s relationship with the organization began to strain, as contract negotiations were heating up, and the Bengals weren’t willing to give Hendrickson what he felt he deserved. It eventually led to a one year, $30 million contract, his final contract agreement with the franchise.
In an injury-riddled 2025 season, Hendrickson played only 7 games, starting every game. He accumulated 4 sacks, 11 solo tackles, and 3 tackles for losses. After a disappointing season, Hendrickson decided to sign with his former divisional rival Baltimore Ravens, joining a defense with various star players.
Photo Credit: December 22, 2024, Week 16, Bengals vs. Browns (Katie Stratman/Imagn Images)
So, this brings us to our first question: How can Hendrickson transform this Ravens defense? Let’s see how the Ravens defense performed last season.
In 2025, the Ravens defense was lackluster, with many holes present. Even with star players such as Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith, and Nnamdi Madubuike, they ranked 24th in total defense, allowing 354.5 offensive yards per game. Additionally, they ranked 30th in passing defense, 18th in scoring defense, 30th in sacks, and 18th in points allowed.
They traded their starting defensive end Odafe Oweh to the Chargers mid-season, and lost Nnamdi Madubuike in Week 2 vs the Bengals to a season-ending neck injury, weakening their defensive line drastically.
Adding Hendrickson instantly makes him the best edge rusher they have. With his skill set, the overall team’s sack total should drastically increase. The increased pressure attacking the quarterback allows Baltimore’s secondary to thrive, strengthening their pass defense, and generating more turnovers.
With newly hired head coach Jesse Minter, a defensive specialist (formerly with the Ravens from 2017-2020), this upcoming 2026 Baltimore Ravens defense could be a nightmare for opposing offenses.
This leads us to our final question: What does this mean for the Ravens and their Super Bowl window?
The Ravens have been a team at the cusp of winning it all. They’ve had one of the most talented teams in football since drafting Lamar Jackson in 2018. Their defenses have consistently ranked top 10 league-wide, and have had historically dominant offenses.
They’ve seemed unstoppable in the regular season when healthy, but have consistently struggled in the playoffs. Whether it be a fumble at the goal line, or a dropped 2-pt conversion, they haven’t been able to get it done.
The Ravens know that they cannot let their two-time MVP quarterback’s best years go to waste. The addition of Trey Hendrickson is a win-now move, especially considering his age and injury history. The edge rusher has the ability to shift the momentum of a game, and perform in critical moments.
Ultimately, the Trey Hendrickson acquisition has tremendous upside for Baltimore, and with the addition of their first-round pick in this year’s draft, they can add-on to their defense depth. If Hendrickson stays at full health and remains the player he’s been throughout his career, then in a few months from now, it could be the Baltimore Ravens hosting the coveted Lombardi Trophy.
Great article LETS GO RAVENS