In 2025, the Carolina Panthers snapped a seven-season playoff drought that stretched back to 2018. They were ultimately bested in the Wild Card Round by the Los Angeles Rams, but the season was a step in the right direction, nonetheless.
The Panthers will look to take another step forward in 2026, and that starts over the offseason with improving the roster.
Panthers predicted to land Trey Hendrickson in free agency
One area where the Panthers could look to improve is their pass rush, which was one of the least effective in the league last season. Four-time Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson could help there.
In a recent article, ESPN’s Aaron Schatz predicts that the Panthers will make a major splash in free agency by paying big money to bring Hendrickson to Carolina.
From Schatz:
“The Panthers will pay big money to Trey Hendrickson. The Panthers ranked 24th in pass rush win rate this season, and while they took two edge rushers high in the 2025 draft (Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen), they could use a steady veteran to lead the attack.”
After spending the first four years of his career as a member of the New Orleans Saints, Hendrickson spent the past five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, and established himself as one of the best edge rushers in the league during that time.
He made four Pro Bowls as a Bengal and he was named a First-Team All Pro in 2024. Given his proven ability to get to opposing quarterbacks, he would represent a clear upgrade for Carolina in the edge-rushing department.
For as productive as he's been though, signing Hendrickson would come with a bit of a risk for the Panthers, as he's 31 years old and was limited to just seven games for Cincinnati last season due to a hip injury that required surgery.
That doesn't mean the Panthers shouldn't sign him, just that they should proceed with caution if interested.
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