Latest update on Trey Hendrickson’s free agency market is exactly what the Colts wanted to hear
This probably sounds like music to Colts fans’ ears.
The Indianapolis Colts’ top two goals heading into free agency were to take care of their top in-house options first and foremost: quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce. They already got Pierce locked up on a new deal, and signs suggest Jones’ deal should be taken care of in the coming days. Now it’s time for the team to shift its attention to the defensive side of the ball if they want any chance of being competitive next season.
The team has glaring holes at edge, linebacker, and safety, with starting spots in all three positions needing to be added this offseason. I think at least one starter at each position will come in free agency over the next couple of weeks, but the one I feel the strongest about is edge.
The Colts edge room is pretty bare at the moment, with Laiatu Latu and JT Tuimoloau being the only players who had a decent-sized role on last year’s team still in the room. The team did make their first out-of-house free-agent signing to address the position’s depth in Arden Key, but their starter opposite Latu still needs to be added.
The top option for everyone to consider is former Cincinnati Bengals star and 2024 NFL sack leader Trey Hendrickson, given his past relationship with Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. His price tag was thought to be too high, but the latest update on his free agency market just might bode well for the Colts’ chances.
Trey Hendrickson’s market not being as robust as hoped could work out perfectly for the Colts
The Colts have a desperate need for pass rush, and Hendrickson is the consensus top player on the market at the position. So it would make sense for the Colts to be interested in signing the edge rusher. It makes even more sense, though, when you look at the fact that Hendrickson played for Anarumo on the Bengals from 2021 to 2024.
This included the best two seasons of his career in 2023 and 2024, where he had back-to-back years with 17.5 sacks. In 2024, that was enough to lead the entire NFL. Sadly, this past year, an injury derailed his first year in Cincinnati without Anarumo. There is also the fact that he was going through contract disputes with the Bengals for just about a year.
Now he hits free agency in a year where we’ve already seen an edge rusher cash in big with Jaelan Philips landing a $30 million a year contract with the Carolina Panthers. That price point doesn’t seem to be a number Hendrickson is going to get this year, though. He is 31 years old and is coming off an injury-filled season, which is obviously giving teams pause in handing him a massive contract.
Apparently, it’s even worse than some may believe, though. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reported that there appears to be a $10 million-per-year gap between Hendrickson’s asking price and what interested teams are willing to offer him at this stage of his career.
If Hendrickson has to compromise and take less than his preferred price point, it would make sense for him to go somewhere he would be around familiar faces and in a scheme he has already thrived in. That perfectly describes the Colts, who, on top of having Anarumo, also have Marion Hobby, Hendrickson’s former defensive line coach.
Taking a discount would likely mean Hendrickson would look for a one-year deal so he could use the 2025 season to prove doubters wrong and earn that final big payday next offseason. The Colts would make the most sense to be the team he does that with. He would, without a doubt, take over as a starter right away and wouldn’t have to spend the offseason learning a new playbook. And if the Colts want to make sure their pass rush is as good as possible in 2026, there doesn’t seem to be a better realistic option than Hendrickson.
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