Following the Maxx Crosby debacle, the Baltimore Ravens wasted no time pivoting to Trey Hendrickson, effectively taking him off the market. Now, the Jacksonville Jaguars will need to look somewhere else for pass rush help.
Trey Hendrickson was one of the top players in free agency but didn't sign right away because teams weren't willing to meet his salary demands. It was then reported that he was targeting a decision, and the Ravens became a realistic destination for him after backing out of the Crosby deal.
To nobody's surprise, Baltimore ended up signing Hendrickson to a four-year deal worth $112 million.
What's next for the Jaguars after the Ravens signed Trey Hendrickson?
There are no reports indicating that the Jaguars were interested in pursuing Trey Hendrickson. Maybe they weren't, but they didn't make an aggressive effort to land him. Either way, Jacksonville still needs to add reinforcements to the pass rush.
Although general manager James Gladstone could wait until the draft to add a pass rusher, he still has no shortage of options available in free agency. Hendrickson, Kwity Paye, Khalil Mack, Jaelan Phillips, and K'Lavon Chaisson are off the market. However, A.J Epenesa, Cameron Jordan, and Arnold Ebiketie remain available.
Another option would be to target Jonathan Greenard via trade. Although he's looking for a reworked deal, the Minnesota Vikings are open to moving him because they're looking for cap relief.
But if Gladstone truly wants to hit it out of the ballpark, making a push for Maxx Crosby then becomes his best option. The five-time Pro Bowl nod is once again available after the Ravens reneged on the trade. The Las Vegas Raiders are seemingly intent on keeping him, but the Jags were reportedly interested in him before, and it wouldn't hurt them to make an inquiry once again.
Related: Trading Walker Little would give the Jags the cap relief they need
The Jaguars have other needs aside from the pass rush
As noted before, the Jaguars could add a pass rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft. This class is stacked, so they could come out of the third round with an intriguing talent. Perhaps that's the plan. If it is, the team's brass needs to consider making upgrades at defensive tackle.
The Jags have Arik Armstead and DaVon Hamilton, but they need to round out their rotation. Moreover, Armstead could be a cap casualty, so it makes sense to replenish the interior trenches. Jacksonville could target Minnesota Vikings cap casualty Javon Hargrave, or A'Shawn Robinson, who's also available after the Carolina Panthers cut ties with him.
Hargrave and Robinson are probably the Jags' best options with John Franklin-Myers bolting for the Tennessee Titans. It's also worth noting that neither would count against the compensatory draft pick formula because both of them were released.
There's no denying that signing Trey Hendrickson would've been huge for the Jaguars, but they'll be just fine without him, especially when you take into account that they still have plenty of options to fortify the defensive line.