The Cincinnati Bengals’ decision to field trade offers for All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson (per NFL Media) might not seem like a Los Angeles Rams storyline on the surface. But given where he could land, it very much is.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports recently outlined the five most logical destinations for Hendrickson, noting that even at 30 years old — and with an $18 million cap hit — the veteran edge presence would still have a strong market. Among his list: the Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, and Detroit Lions. Three of those teams — the Seahawks, Packers, and Lions — happen to be among the Rams’ most direct NFC competitors in their bid to return to the Super Bowl under Sean McVay.
Reports have surfaced that the Bengals are listening to trade offers for Hendrickson from other clubs. The Bengals permitted Hendrickson to seek out a trade this offseason, but no deal came together.
Why It Matters for the Los Angeles Rams
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The Rams already face one of the most unforgiving schedules in 2025. They’ll see the 49ers twice (Weeks 5 and 10), Seattle twice (Weeks 11 and 16), and Detroit in a critical Week 15 matchup that Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports has pegged as one of the must-watch games of the season. As Sullivan pointed out, that December clash with the Lions could end up serving as an NFC Championship preview or a de facto seeding tiebreaker.
Now imagine Detroit entering that game with Aidan Hutchinson and Hendrickson screaming off the edge. That’s a scenario McVay and Matthew Stafford would much rather avoid.
The Packers could present a similar problem. They already boast Rashan Gary and 2023 first-rounder Lukas Van Ness. As Benjamin wrote, Hendrickson would give Green Bay “a proven counterpart” in a defense that badly needs a closer against top NFC quarterbacks. And Seattle? The Rams’ biggest divisional rival already has the benefit of two late-season matchups against L.A., one of which comes just four days after the Rams play Detroit. Adding Hendrickson to Mike Macdonald’s pass-rush rotation could turn those contests into true gauntlets. Many a prediction has already put the Seahawks’ defense among the league’s top 5.
The Rams’ Window
Los Angeles enters 2025 as one of the few teams with both veteran star power and a strong supporting cast. They gave the eventual champion Eagles their toughest playoff test last year, and former NFL lineman Damien Woody has already pegged them as Philly’s most dangerous challenger.
But Hendrickson’s relocation could shift the NFC landscape in subtle but decisive ways. If he lands in Detroit or Green Bay, it complicates the Rams’ seeding battle. If he lands in Seattle, it could swing the NFC West itself.
The Rams already have to survive a brutal opening stretch that features trips to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and London before their bye. Their margin for error late in the season — particularly in December and January when they’ll be jockeying with Seattle and Detroit — could determine whether SoFi hosts playoff football or not.
The Bottom Line
The Bengals’ willingness to move Hendrickson is a storyline to monitor not just in Cincinnati, but in Los Angeles. The Rams have rebuilt themselves into a legitimate NFC contender. But as Cody Benjamin’s list suggests, Hendrickson’s next uniform could directly impact whether the Rams’ Super Bowl path gets smoother … or a whole lot steeper.
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