Should teams with a pass-rush need target Trey Hendrickson or Maxx Crosby?

Both Trey Hendrickson and Maxx Crosby are elite pass- rushers

Now 31 years old, Hendrickson was a third-round pick out of FAU in 2017. He's made stops with the New Orleans Saints and, most recently, with the Bengals. That tenure with Cincinnati was particularly impressive, going to the Pro Bowl four times.

That included leading the NFL in sacks during the 2024 season with 17.5 in 17 games. It was his second season in a row with 17.5 sacks. At that point, Hendrickson began searching for an extension, but when one didn't come, he looked for a trade last offseason. 

That led to a holdout going into a season where he missed time with a hip injury. It was a hip injury that proved why getting that extension was so important to him, as he's hitting free agency off a down season.

Meanwhile, Crosby is 28 years old and has spent his entire career with the Raiders. They selected him with a fourth-round pick in 2019 after he had a standout career at Eastern Michigan. He's since become an All-Pro selection twice and a Pro Bowler five times.

Crosby seems to want out of Las Vegas, per reporting. Publicly, at least, that's not what the Raiders want, though. Coming off a 10-sack season, he's still the heart of their defense, after all. 

What do these edge-rushers cost?

Every team would want either Hendrickson or Crosby. Those teams looking to get over the hump or in need of pass-rush help are particularly interesting. However, both are expensive additions to a team.

Crosby is younger, but he's going to cost a massive trade package. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Raiders are asking for two first-round picks and a player. On top of that, the team inheriting him will inherit his 2026 cap hit of $35,791,250. He signed a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension with $91.5 million guaranteed in March 2025.

Meanwhile, Hendrickson is older and coming off an injury, but all he's going to cost is money. Teams don't need to trade for him. He's projected to get a similar contract to Crosby, with Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated predicting he'll get three years and $105 million. That's $35 million annually.

At his best, Hendrickson has put up higher counting steps as a pass-rusher than Crosby. On the other hand, Crosby is also excellent against the running game. So, to an extent, choosing between the two players is splitting hairs and finding who fits a team's system the best. 

If they're both healthy, however, Hendrickson will be much easier to add. Then, if the Raiders play it smart, they could potentially create a bidding war for Crosby in the vacuum that comes after Hendrickson lands with a new team.