The Chicago Bears have taken advantage of the summer to enhance their roster following another disappointing season.
The trades have occurred on both sides of the ball, and with OTAs just around the corner, Chicago has another opportunity to improve its squad.
The Cincinnati Bengals’ DE Trey Hendrickson and the franchise have been fighting with contract issues during the offseason. Hendrickson told ESPN last week that he has had “no communication” with the Bengals.
He has made it obvious that he will not play under his present contract and is willing to miss games as a result. This appears to be an excellent opportunity to strengthen the Bears and improve their edge play.
To acquire Hendrickson, the Bears should send the Bengals a 2026 second-round pick and a 2026 fifth-round pick.
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Chicago has $6 million in cap space in 2025, which will climb to $16 million in 2026. To accommodate Hendrickson’s extension, they would have to let go of some players and renegotiate contracts for others.
Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa, Danielle Hunter, and Maxx Crosby all make $34 million or more, and that appears to be the benchmark Hendrickson is seeking for on his next contract.
Despite being 30 years old, he is one of the game’s most effective pass rushers. In eight seasons (110 games), Hendrickson has 220 total tackles, 155 quarterback hits, 15 pass deflections, and 77 sacks.
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The FAU product has made four Pro Bowl appearances, including leading the league in sacks (17.5) in 2024.
Last season, the Bears ranked middle of the pack in team sacks (40), but no player had more than 5.5 sacks. The addition of a player like Hendrickson would revolutionize this team and propel it to new heights.
It’s unclear whether Chicago is interested in giving draft capital in addition to handing away a monster, but there’s no doubt that he’d improve this squad.