The Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts could all be in the market for an edge rusher ahead of the deadline.
We already know San Francisco is after trading for Keion White on Tuesday, and it stands to reason that the Niners might not be done given the fact that they have an abysmal pass-rush that has totaled the second-fewest sacks in the NFL and is currently missing Nick Bosa (torn ACL) and Bryce Huff (hamstring).
The Cowboys are another team struggling to get after the quarterback, with Dallas posting 15 sacks through eight games, five of which came in one contest. It has become quite obvious just how much the Micah Parsons trade has hurt Dallas' defense, which was expected.
The Colts are actually one of the better pass-rushing teams in the league with 23 sacks, tied for the fifth-most in the NFL, but Indianapolis lacks the punch of an elite edge rusher opposing offenses need to game plan for.
One player all three teams would likely have interest in is Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. However, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler has some bad news: Hendrickson still isn't available.
Fowler adds that the Niners and Cowboys have shown interest in Hendrickson, and he believes the Colts make sense as a landing spot if he's moved.
Up to this point, the Bengals have rebuffed trade inquiries, and sources have maintained that Cincinnati has no plans to trade Hendrickson right now. The Cowboys and 49ers are among the interested teams, though San Francisco made a move for a pass rusher Tuesday night.
Complicating matters is a hip injury that has compromised Hendrickson's past two weeks on the field, though that injury is not considered serious and Hendrickson should be full-go for the stretch run, be it for Cincinnati or someone else. The Colts make a ton of sense as a contending team that could be the proverbial "one player away." It would also represent a reunion between Hendrickson and former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, now running the defense in Indianapolis.
With the Bengals believing Joe Flacco can keep them afloat and in position to make the playoffs until Joe Burrow gets back, it's no surprise the team doesn't want to trade its best edge rusher.
Sure, there is the risk that Hendrickson leaves in free agency next offseason after he was clearly disgruntled with the team over his contract during the offseason, but the Bengals also have the option to franchise tag Hendrickson, which sets up another showdown between the two sides in 2026.
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