As the regular season quickly approaches, many teams across the NFL are looking at ways to improve their team before the games count potentially. The Las Vegas Raiders are certainly among them, especially on the defensive end, and there are a couple of very intriguing names that could be had for the right price.
One of the biggest is Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson, one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, who has been holding out in hopes of a new contract. With the two sides remaining at an impasse, the possibility of a trade seems to be growing, and the Raiders could be in the driver’s seat.
Hondo Carpenter of Sports Illustrated recently spoke with an NFL executive who believes that the Raiders are the frontrunners to land Hendrickson in a trade:
“I have no doubt the Raiders are the frontrunners. Tom Brady and Mark Davis want to win now, and John (Spytek) has no fear when it comes to making bold moves. The kid (Hendrickson is 30), that move is the mentality of Pete Carroll; he’s not afraid of anything that could improve the team.”
Getting Hendrickson won’t be cheap, however, and the executive believes that it will take multiple picks or a good player along with a pick to acquire the Bengals star:
“From what I hear, the Bengals are seeking either multiple picks or a combination of a pick and a player. They aren’t particularly focused on one side of the ball, but their offense is exceptional, while their defense is (excrement). I would speculate that a player and a third-round pick would be sufficient to land him.”
Of course, the Raiders, or any team that trades for Hendrickson, would then have to pay him, but the pass rusher is worth it. He totaled 17.5 sacks for the second consecutive season last year, leading the league and being named to the All-Pro First Team and finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Pairing him with Maxx Crosby would give the Raiders the best pass-rushing duo in the entire league.
With the Raiders moving on from Christian Wilkins, the defensive line sorely needs a boost and someone who can take some pressure off Crosby. Adding someone like Hendrickson would take this team to the next level and, at the very least, is something the franchise has to consider.
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