After a disappointing 2025-26 NFL season for the Cleveland Browns, general manager Andrew Berry and the rest of the organization will look to steadily improve the roster throughout the course of the 2026 offseason.
So far, the front office has done a terrific job of addressing the offensive line during the free agency period, as the Browns have reportedly signed multiple guards in Los Angeles Chargers Zion Johnson and Green Bay Packers Elgton Jenkins. In addition to Johnson and Jenkins, Cleveland also re-signed Tevin Jenkins and possesses the No. 6 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which could be used to select an offensive tackle.
While many fans still want to see Berry take a wide receiver at the top of round one, a sudden signing that occurred on Wednesday morning may prompt the organization to take an offensive tackle with the pick.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Baltimore Ravens have signed former Cincinnati Bengals star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson to a massive four-year, $112 million deal after backing out of a trade that would have sent Maxx Crosby to the organization.
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Last week, the Ravens made a not-so-surprising deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, which sent Crosby to the organization in exchange for two first-round picks. Crosby has established himself as one of the pass rushers in the NFL, making the trade a significant issue for the Browns heading into the 2026 season.
However, this took a dramatic turn for the worse, as the Raiders announced late on Tuesday afternoon that the Ravens had backed out of the deal. While there was no indication as to why Baltimore abandoned the deal, it was reported that Crosby failed his physical exam.
The huge sigh of relief from the rest of the AFC North did not last long, as Ravens’ general manager Eric DeCosta quickly found his replacement in Hendrickson on Wednesday morning. Cleveland is quite familiar with the 31-year-old pass rusher, as he’s spent the last five seasons with the Bengals. In two of the five seasons with Cincinnati, Hendrickson posted two straight years of 17.5 sacks in 2023 and 2024, with five of the sacks occurring against the Browns.
Whether the Ravens went through with the trade for Crosby or signed Hendrickson, it’s clear that the organization’s defensive line was going to be greatly improved prior to the 2026 NFL season. Now, instead of facing Crosby twice a year, the struggling franchise will once again have to deal with the likes of Hendrickson for the foreseeable future.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns rival makes shocking pivot from one All-Pro EDGE to another
Reporting by Dylan Feltovich, Browns Wire / Browns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
