It doesn’t appear very likely the Detroit Lions sign edge rusher Trey Hendrickson this offseason. Insiders who cover the team, such as the Detroit Free Press’s Dave Birkett, are working under the assumption the Lions will not ink Hendrickson to a deal in NFL free agency.
But Lions fans can still hold onto the dream of signing Hendrickson after the latest update from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The NFL insider said on ESPN’s Get Up on Tuesday morning no team has been willing to meet Hendrickon’s asking price, which is more than $30 million.
Schefter then suggested that even as negotiations continue, Hendrickson will likely not receive an offer with $30 million as an average annual salary.
“He’s been in contact with a number of teams,” Schefter said. “The issue, I think, is this. You see the Houston Texans go out and give Danielle Hunter a $40 million a year extension. You see yesterday, the Carolina Panthers shock the NFL and give Jaelan Phillips $30 million a year. Trey Hendrickson sees himself in the company of those kinds of players.
“So you would think there would be a corresponding contract in that vicinity. But if there’s not a team out there that’s willing to give you $40 or $30 million, sometimes, it takes a player a little bit of time to understand how the market works like that and to accept that just because Danielle Hunter might get $40 [million], you might not get $40 [million]. Just because Jaelan Phillips gets $30 [million], doesn’t mean you get $30 [million].
“Right now, he’s talking to a bunch of teams, but nobody has met his price just yet. And he’s a very strong-minded, prideful person. He wants to get his price, and until he feels like he does, he’s not willing to compromise on that.”
Could Lions Still Sign Trey Hendrickson?
There’s a pretty big difference between an average annual salary of $30 and $40 million. Schefter didn’t really specify which amount Hendrickson was seeking other than more than $30 million.
But whatever it is, no team has offered it yet. Otherwise, Hendrickson would have a new contract.
Schefter didn’t mention which teams are negotiating with the former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end. So, it’s possible the Lions aren’t one of the teams.
They very well could be, though, based on the fact the Lions need pass rushing help opposite Aidan Hutchinson for 2026.
If the Lions are talking to Hendrickson, they haven’t met his asking price either. That’s the bad news.
But the good news is, according to Schefter, Hendrickson may eventually have to come down with his contract desires. Should that happen, perhaps the Lions could be a suitor.
Projecting Hendrickson’s Contract Value
It was a little odd to see Hendrickson not agree to a new contract on the first day of free agency. But this happens every year.
Not every top free agent gets a new deal on Day 1. Those contracts get the big headlines because they happen first. But plenty of impactful players will continue to agree to new contracts through this week and month.
So, yes, the fact Hendrickson remains unsigned can give Lions fans hope he could sign with the Lions. But it’s not a foregone conclusion that a team won’t meet Hendrickson’s asking price as free agency continues.
It’s possible that as more edge rushers go off the free agency board, teams still needing pass major rushing help will have no choice but to meet Hendrickson’s price.
Hendrickson is coming off a season where he only played seven games because of core muscle surgery. He is also 31 years old.
Those facts could be holdups for teams in his contract negotiations.
But from 2021-24, he was one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. Hendrickson is also just a season removed from leading the league with 17.5 sacks and making first-team All-Pro.
Before free agency began, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper projected Hendrickson to be worth a 3-year, $99 million contract. Such a deal would pay the edge rusher $33 million per season.
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