Hendrickson has agreed to terms with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency. He will sign a four-year deal worth up to $112 million, per multiple reports.
It’s a move that came together quickly after the Ravens backed out of the trade agreement for Maxx Crosby, who reportedly failed a physical.
That was made possible by the fact that nothing is official in the NFL until the new league year begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 11.
Just like the Crosby deal, Hendrickson will need to pass a physical before signing a contract to officially become a Raven.
The 27-year-old was considered the third-best player in free agency for 2026 and the best defender on the board, according to USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis.
It has been a long road to get to this point for Hendrickson, who was involved in a well-documented contract dispute with the Cincinnati Bengals for quite some time. There were multiple trade requests and a public falling out. The Bengals decided against using the franchise tag on the pass-rusher, allowing him to go to free agency.
Hendrickson has been one of the most productive pass-rushers in the league when healthy. He recorded 17.5 sacks in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons before being limited to just seven games in 2025 because of injury.
Here’s what to know about Hendrickson’s new deal and why the Bengals let him leave:
Trey Hendrickson contract details
Hendrickson inked a four-year, $112 million deal. Here’s a look at the full terms, per multiple reports:
Term: Four years
Total contract value: $112 million (with max value up to $120 million)
Average annual value (AAV): $28 million
Guaranteed money: $60 million
Why did the Bengals let Trey Hendrickson leave?
Hendrickson and the Bengals haven’t see eye-to-eye in contract negotiations for quite some time.
The star defender can get to quarterbacks at will, but his ability to get to a long-term contract had proven to be more difficult. It was that reality that led to Hendrickson requesting a trade multiple times in the last few seasons while the situation became a war of words in the media.
Bengals EVP Katie Blackburn’s comments were the turning point, making the situation personal.
‘I think he should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn’t think he’d be happy at,’ Blackburn said via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. ‘I think some of it is on him to be happy at some point, and if he’s not, you know, that’s what holds it up sometimes. So, you know, it takes him to say yes to something, and also, we have all the respect in the world for him. He’s been a great player. We’re happy to have him. And so maybe we’ll find a way to get something to work. We’re just gonna see where it goes.’
Hendrickson responded on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ a day later. On May 13, 2025, he told reporters at an impromptu press conference that he wasn’t willing to play for the Bengals on his current contract.
On March 3, Cincinnati made the decision to not use the franchise tag on Hendrickson.
It made the star a free agent for the first time since 2021. More importantly for Hendrickson, it meant the market would finally decide his value, rather than the Bengals.
Trey Hendrickson injury
Hendrickson underwent core muscle surgery to end his 2025 season after playing in just seven games.
The pass-rusher was listed on the injury report with a hip issue going back to Week 7. That status later included a pelvis injury as the season progressed.
It’s unclear how that will impact Hendrickson’s physical with the Ravens. The normally routine process has come under the microscope in the wake of the Crosby trade news.