Trey Hendrickson expected to play alongside Maxx Crosby in Baltimore

Hendrickson signed with Baltimore a day after the Ravens nixed the Crosby trade

Shortly after the Maxx Crosby trade fell through, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said his plan was to field a defense in 2026 that featured both Crosby and Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson and Baltimore agreed to terms less than 24 hours after the Ravens nixed their deal for Crosby, citing a failed physical.

While that comment was met with skepticism around the league, Hendrickson recently confirmed those plans.

"I was looking forward to rushing with him," Hendrickson said during an appearance on Terron Armstead's The Set podcast, via NFL.com. "Like what an incredible opportunity that would have been to have a bookends like that terrorizing quarterbacks, getting running backs to the ground. That's what got me excited."  

While he won't get the chance to play with Crosby, Hendrickson got his long-awaited new deal after he and the Ravens came to terms on a four-year, $112 million deal. He also gets a chance to play on a team that features a two-time league MVP in quarterback Lamar Jackson and a future Hall of Famer in running back Derrick Henry. He joins a defense that also features Roquan Smith, Nnamdi Madubuike, Kyle Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey. 

Hendrickson also reunites with cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, who also played a key role in Cincinnati's unexpected run to an AFC title in 2021. The Bengals made it back to the AFC Championship game in 2022 but missed the playoffs each of the next three seasons. Contract issues with several key players (mostly on defense) contributed to Cincinnati's struggles in recent years. 

Hendrickson racked up 61 sacks during his five years in Cincinnati and hopes to make a similar impact for a Ravens team that is coming off a disappointing 8-9 season. 

"When I look back, maybe I'll be more appreciative of how special that team was," Hendrickson said of the 2021 Bengals. "But right now I'm on the hunt for one thing and that's to win it all. I'm incredibly blessed to be in an opportunity representing organizations that have done it. I'm excited to be a part of something that there is potential. 

"When you're talking about No. 8 throwing the ball around, like, you know it's a quarterback-driven league. Sean Payton talked about that when I was a rookie (in New Orleans). There might be 32 teams, but there's about seven or eight that can win it all, and we got one of them."