Trey Hendrickson's public frustration with the Cincinnati Bengals has the entire NFL world paying very close attention. The Bengals would presumably like to keep him around long-term, but the longer he goes without an extension, the less likely it is that he wears a Bengals uniform in Week 1. A trade feels very possible, if not likely, and the Green Bay Packers were deemed the "best fit" by ESPN's Matt Bowen. The Packers making a trade for Hendrickson would be absolutely devastating for their NFC North rivals.
"After being granted permission to seek a trade in March, Hendrickson is refusing to play with the Bengals until he receives a new contract. If no deal comes together, Green Bay would be the perfect landing spot for him, as he'd pair well with Rashan Gary in Jeff Hafley's defensive system. Lukas Van Ness, a 2023 first-rounder, is still developing at this stage, so there is a path for Green Bay to add more to its defensive line," Bowen wrote.
Bowen is spot-on. Acquiring Hendrickson would make an already strong Packers team that much better. It would also simultaneously hurt the teams they're in direct competition with.
A Trey Hendrickson trade to Green Bay would devastate Packers' NFC North rivals
The Minnesota Vikings probably wouldn't make a splash of this magnitude, but the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions both look like really strong fits for Hendrickson as well.
Montez Sweat is a very solid edge rusher, but the Bears have done nothing to address the other side. No disrespect to Dayo Odeyingbo, but based on how he played last season, he probably isn't the answer. Hendrickson would elevate the team's defensive line so much and get them even closer to their goal of getting to the playoffs. The defensive line is probably the biggest concern on this Bears team right now. Hendrickson is the best player they can realistically acquire by far.
As for the Lions, can you imagine an edge rusher duo consisting of Hendrickson and Aidan Hutchinson? I mean, Hutchinson might've been the Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner before suffering his season-ending injury, and Hendrickson was the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up. Those two on the same defensive line would be impossible to contain. His contract situation might be tricky for them to navigate, but the player is worth taking a good, hard look at.
While the Bears and Lions could definitely use Hendrickson, losing out on him wouldn't be the end of the world. Well, unless he wound up in Green Bay. The Packers could use an edge rusher to pair with Rashan Gary and Hendrickson would make an already stout defense that much better. This isn't just a good player, he's one of the best defensive players in the game. He led the league in sacks this past season. He's a game-changer.
The Packers were a playoff team without Hendrickson. Adding him while also keeping him away from their rivals might make them NFC North favorites and a team to be reckoned with in the NFC as a whole.