It doesn't seem fair that the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles could acquire Trey Hendrickson without giving up a first- or second-round pick.
But that's exactly what ESPN NFL insider Bill Barnwell is proposing in a column about potential NFL trades.
He has the Eagles trading for the Bengals' disgruntled star who led the NFL in sacks in 2024. The Eagles would give up edge rusher Jalyx Hunt, a 2026 third-round pick, and a 2027 conditional pick for Hendrickson.
"Suggestions that the Bengals want a first-round pick for Hendrickson are more hopeful than realistic; the last time a team traded a first-rounder for a non-quarterback over 30 was in 1994, when the Falcons sent a first-rounder and two second-round picks to the Vikings for Chris Doleman," Barnwell writes. "Hendrickson might net a second-rounder, but even that might be tough at this point of the offseason, especially if the Bengals want to land a player who can step into their starting lineup as part of the deal."
Of course, the Eagles would need to pay Hendrickson; otherwise, the trade would not satisfy the reason for his discontent in Cincinnati. However, the Eagles seem to be well-positioned to make Hendrickson happy with $70 million in guaranteed money over the first two years of the deal.
"Could (the Eagles) afford Hendrickson?" Barnwell asks. "If they want to get creative, sure. He might need to compromise a bit to get a deal done, but the Eagles could give him a contract with what amounts to two years and $70 million in guarantees with some void years and unguaranteed money tacked on to create cap flexibility. They have just under $30 million in cap space available, so while they'll want to roll some of that money over to next season, room under the cap isn't really an issue."