NFL insider floats Colts as a team to watch in blockbuster trade that would reunite a disgruntled AFC star with familiar faces

Big news hit the NFL world with the Cincinnati Bengals granting star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson the right to seek a trade. He's an intriguing player with multiple connections to the Indianapolis Colts, and now a top NFL insider name-dropped the Colts as a team to watch to win the Hendrickson sweepstakes.  Colts named team to […]

Destin Adams NFL News Writer
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Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.
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Big news hit the NFL world with the Cincinnati Bengals granting star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson the right to seek a trade. 

He's an intriguing player with multiple connections to the Indianapolis Colts, and now a top NFL insider name-dropped the Colts as a team to watch to win the Hendrickson sweepstakes. 


Colts named team to watch to trade for Bengals star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates as the Steelers prepare to punt in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. The Bengals won 19-17 to finish the regular season at 9-8.
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NFL Network's Ian Rapoport spoke on the ongoing situation involving Trey Hendrickson's request to be traded and mentioned the Colts as a team to watch. He also shared that multiple teams are expected to be interested in the 2024 sack leader. But the only team he mentioned by name is the Colts, which seems noteworthy. 

The Colts' connections to Hendrickson likely played a factor in Rapoport choosing to name-drop them specifically. The only defensive coordinator Hendrickson played for in Cincinnati is now in Indianapolis, Lou Anarumo. His college head coach is also on their staff, along with former Florida Atlantic head coach Charlie Partridge, who is now the defensive line coach for the Colts. 

We will have to wait and see if the Colts are able to get a deal done. But I think Rapoport name-dropping the Colts here is proof they are at least interested in acquiring Hendrickson. They are going to have plenty of competition to land the star pass rusher, but if he has a large say on his landing spot, you'd think his relationships with the Colts staff would help them in that regard.