Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson is in a prolonged contract standoff over guaranteed money, even after back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons, and it’s left the door wide open for a potential trade.
The Chicago Bears have Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo penciled in as the starters on defensive end heading into this season, but there’s little doubt a trade for Hendrickson would give Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen a definite game-changing presence on the edge.
Bears Wire’s Vincent Parise took a jab at what a trade for Hendrickson might look like from Chicago’s perspective, and he thinks sending safety Jaquan Brisker, DE Austin Booker and a second-round pick to the Bengals would be adequate compensation for the NFL’s reigning sack leader.
“The Bengals have reportedly made it clear that they want impactful defensive players in exchange for Hendrickson,” Parise wrote on August 21. “The Bears may be willing to give up two and a second-round pick if it means they can avoid hurting the defensive backfield too much.”
More on the Idea of What a Trey Hendrickson – Jaquan Brisker Trade Swap Could Mean for the Chicago Bears
GettyBears safety Jaquan Brisker is at the center of a new trade proposal involving Trey Hendrickson.
“Jaquan Brisker is a great safety and the best asset in this trade package,” Parise added. “However, the Bears have defenders who can make up for his loss if needed. Austin Booker still has a lot to prove in the regular season, but the Bengals have tape on him from the preseason showing what he might be able to do with more development. In place of Hendrickson, he may be able to get some meaningful reps on what is expected to be a good team. … If the Bears wanted to get a better (and younger) player like Micah Parsons, it would cost even more.”
Here’s one thing Parise doesn’t mention or fully grasp: when healthy, Brisker is a key cog in Chicago’s defense and an absolute tone-setter. Now entering Year 4, Brisker, 26, has a very concerning history with concussions, missing 16 games over his three seasons due to head injuries.
His injury history is a concern for the Bears, and it would be a concern for Cincinnati, as well. Still, the assertion Chicago could immediately make up for Brisker’s absence is simply not the case.
Pass Rush Remains a Question Mark for Bears Heading Into 2025
Hendrickson has made the Pro Bowl every year in Cincinnati and has 57 sacks since 2021, third-most in the league over that span. It’s easy to understand why several teams would want to add him.
Sweat made headlines by attending OTAs — something he admittedly rarely does — because he was eager to get a head start in Allen’s complex defense. After a quieter 2024 season, Sweat has looked rejuvenated in camp and could be positioned to have a better season in 2025.
The Bears should have a more aggressive and creative pass rush under Allen, and Odeyingbo could prove to be an underrated addition. Despite recording just 3.0 sacks in 2024, it’s fair to think he could push for double-digit sacks this season with Allen leading the way.
Thus, while adding a player of Hendrickson’s caliber is intriguing, few teams would be willing to trade two young players and a Round 2 pick for a 31-year-old pass rusher.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Bears Trade Proposal Swaps Jaquan Brisker & Young DE for All-Pro Edge appeared first on Heavy Sports.