With Joey Bosa’s future uncertain and the Los Angeles Chargers aiming to reload under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, Clutch Points has floated a compelling trade target: Cincinnati Bengals star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.
Hendrickson is currently locked in a contract dispute with the Bengals. If an extension isn’t reached, Cincinnati may look to deal him rather than lose him for nothing. Enter the Chargers, who finished sixth in the NFL in sacks in 2024 but risk losing that edge with Bosa’s health in question.
Trey Hendrickson Could Be the Final Piece for Los Angeles Chargers’ Playoff Push
Despite already rostering Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, and Bud Dupree, Los Angeles could benefit from a dominant, durable pass rusher—and Hendrickson fits that mold perfectly. He led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season, added 16 quarterback hits, and racked up 46 hurries. Even more impressively, he tallied 12.5 of those sacks in close games, establishing himself as one of the league’s most clutch defenders.
Acquiring Hendrickson would come at a cost—Clutch Points suggests a first-round pick would be required—but for a Chargers team that’s retooling rather than rebuilding, it could be a price worth paying. Hendrickson’s availability presents a rare window to grab an elite talent at a potential discount due to contract friction, and the Chargers are well-positioned to strike.
With Harbaugh looking to instill a hard-nosed, win-now mentality in Los Angeles, trading for Hendrickson could serve as both a defensive upgrade and a cultural tone-setter. If the Chargers pull the trigger, they wouldn’t just be replacing Bosa’s production—they’d be adding one of the game’s most disruptive forces, potentially transforming a good defense into a great one just in time for a playoff run.
Subscribe to LAFB Network’s Los Angeles Chargers YouTube Channel