The Las Vegas Raiders have already made a splash this offseason, trading for quarterback Geno Smith to reunite him with Pete Carroll and drafting running back Ashton Jeanty in the top 10. But while the offense looks revitalized, the defense remains a question mark — particularly the secondary, which will have to contend with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert twice each this season.
As ClutchPoints’ Troy Finnegan wrote, “What’s the best way to cover for a secondary group that doesn’t have the talent to match up with most of the units that it has to play against? Build an elite pass rush.” Pairing All-Pro Trey Hendrickson with Maxx Crosby could do exactly that, giving Las Vegas one of the most disruptive duos in football.
The Cost of Doing Business
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The problem, of course, is price. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Bengals aren’t interested in just draft picks. They want both high-end capital — reportedly a 2026 first-rounder — and a young defensive player in return. Cincinnati knows Hendrickson’s value; he’s had 17.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons, and they won’t let him go without a haul.
That means the Raiders would likely have to part with a starter or recent first-round pick like Tyree Wilson, plus a premium draft choice. Pass rusher Malcolm Koonce, safety Isaiah Pola-Mao, or rookie linebacker Tommy Eichenberg could also be dangled, but Wilson feels like the most realistic fit for Cincinnati’s demands.
The Risk vs. Reward
The reward is clear. Hendrickson, even at 30, is still an elite producer who wins without much help. In Las Vegas, lining up opposite Crosby, he would face fewer double teams and create havoc for opposing quarterbacks. That type of pass rush could mask a shaky secondary and elevate the Raiders from fringe to legitimate wild-card contention.
The risk? Hendrickson will require a top-10 edge rusher contract, and Las Vegas would be giving up a key young asset plus a first-rounder to get him. For a team still building its future under Carroll, mortgaging draft capital for a veteran could muddy long-term progress.
Raiders Trade Rumor: Final Call
The Raiders have the cap space and the need. The question is whether GM John Spytek believes the present outweighs the future. If so, a package built around Koonce or Wilson plus a first-round pick might be enough to pry Hendrickson loose. It would be costly — but the payoff could be a defense capable of keeping pace in the AFC West.