Latest free agency news gives the Buccaneers a legit shot at signing Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson’s market isn’t off to the start he envisioned, apparently.
Trey Hendrickson remains a free agent and there’s been some smoke surrounding him and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leading many to believe the two parties could join forces in free agency.
But why hasn’t the guy who many considered to be the top overall free agent been signed, yet? Day 1 was as busy as it gets and there has been some movement here and there on Day 2, but nothing involving Hendrickson.
Well, apparently Hendrickson’s start to free agency is going as planned, as one NFL insider recently pointed out.
Hendrickson’s asking price is millions of dollars apart from what teams will pay
Per CBS’s Jonathan Jones, the difference between Hendrickson’s asking price and what teams are willing to pay is close to a $10 million gap, which is wild to think about.
“As of this morning, there were teams I spoke with who said the gap between what he wanted and what they were willing to pay was close to $10 million per year,” Jones wrote on X/Twitter.
There has been talk Hendrickson is expecting a deal that consists of around $30-$40 million on an annual basis, which is also wild to think about. Yes, Hendrickson still has mileage left in the thank, but he’s also 31 and coming off a serious, season-ending surgery. Core muscle surgery is no joke and is a big deal for an athlete, who you know, is constantly using his core and having 300+ pound dudes slam into it.
So it’s easy to see why there’s such a large gap, here. Hendrickson will eventually lower his asking price, which could certainly play right into the Buccaneers’ hands.
Free agency is also working against Trey Hendrickson
It’s simple math: The more teams that sign pass rushers, the less pass rusher-needy teams there are. That inherently drives Hendrickson’s price tag down, as clubs won’t have to worry about rushing or avoiding bidding wars for his services.
It’s honestly an unfortunate situation for Hendrickson, who hasn’t been able to get the contract he’s desired for about four straight years, now. Granted, there are all kinds of layers to why that didn’t happen, but he definitely has some bad luck on his side as he’s finally out of the Cincinnati Bengals’ grasp, yet it’s the offseason after a major injury that led to his worst production in years.
Either way, it looks like Hendrickson and the Buccaneers, if they happen, are going to be a slow burn. Don’t hold your breath if you’re a Bucs fan or any fan that wants Hendrickson in general.
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