The Cincinnati Bengals are going to allow Trey Hendrickson to reach free agency. With the deadline for franchise tagging players set to expire on Tuesday afternoon, 4 pm Eastern, there was one last NFL domino fans were waiting to see drop. That seems to have occurred as Dianna Russini is reporting that the AFC North squad is going to allow their long-time pass rush savant to hit the open market with the start of the 2026 league year.
The Dallas Cowboys are in need of help on the edge, and Hendrickson could potentially be a fit as owner Jerry Jones has spoken about a willingness to spend on external free agents this offseason.
The legal tampering window opens next Monday, March 9, and teams will be allowed to “begin” negotiations with reps from players who will become free agents on March 11. Of course, deals will quickly be announced, with the worst-kept secret being that negotiations are taking place ever since the scouting combine began last week.
Hendrickson is a four-time Pro Bowler, with the last of those coming in 2024 when he was also First-Team All-Pro. That was his second of back-to-back 17.5 sack seasons. Last year he was limited to just seven games due to injury. That and his age, 31, lead some outlets to believe he may be available for less than the top edge rushers are set to get on the open market.
Spotrac thinks Hendrickson is worth a two-year, $51 million deal while Pro Football Focus targets a one-year offer for $21 million.
The Cowboys currently are over the cap, but will be pulling a bunch of triggers over the next week to not only get in compliance, but create room to sign more players. They have a need on the edge as they transition to a 3-4 front, with second-year pro Donovan Ezeiruaku (2.5 sacks, 36 pressures) out for much of the offseason after hip surgery.
The only other noteworthy edge on the roster is James Houston, who was second on the club with 5.5 sacks in a reserve role in 2025. Dallas moved inside linebacker Marist Liufau to the edge, but he’s never played there entering his third season.
Hendrickson now officially tops a list of intriguing edge rusher possibilities.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys free to pursue $25 million, 4x Pro Bowl Bengals defensive star
Reporting by K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
