The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to sign free agent defensive end Trey Hendrickson, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, in a pricey pivot after canceling their blockbuster trade for Maxx Crosby.
The two sides agreed to a four-year, $112 million deal that could be worth up to $120 million with incentives, according to Schefter. The deal includes $60 million fully guaranteed and a signing bonus of $20 million, sources told Schefter.
The deal keeps Hendrickson, a four-time Pro Bowler with the Cincinnati Bengals, in the AFC North and provides the Ravens with a much-needed star pass-catcher less than 24 hours after Baltimore pulled the plug on its trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for Crosby.
League sources told ESPN that the Ravens had medical concerns that arose during Crosby’s physical. The deals are contingent on players passing a physical and are not official until the start of the new league year on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET.
Crosby underwent surgery in January to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He knew he would need surgery in the fall but continued to play until the Raiders decided to suspend him for the final two games of last season, a decision that frustrated Crosby.
The canceled trade once again left the Ravens needing to address their pass rush, which was one of their biggest weaknesses last season. Baltimore had 30 sacks in 2025, the second-fewest in team history.
Baltimore now has Hendrickson, arguably the best player available in this year’s free agent class and an All-Pro selection in 2024, when he led the NFL with 17.5 sacks. He finished the 2025 season on injured reserve after a procedure to repair a core muscle injury, and finished with four sacks in seven games.
Sources told Schefter that Hendrickson, 31, will make an additional $500,000 to reach specific sack thresholds per season, starting with eight sacks and then escalating to 10, 12 and 14.
Since signing with the Bengals as a free agent in 2021, Hendrickson has been one of the most effective pass rushers in the NFL. During that span, he ranks second in overall pressure rate (13.2%), according to ESPN research, and has 61 sacks, the fourth-highest total.
A third-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2017, Hendrickson has 81 sacks in nine NFL seasons.
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley and Ben Bibby contributed to this report.
