The Jacksonville Jaguars have yet to sign a player from another team in free agency. However, that could change soon, as the prices will soon come down. In fact, the Jags could make an aggressive sign push for a pass rusher who has yet to find a new home.
Trey Hendrickson at last became a free agent following years of failed contract negotiations with the Cincinnati Bengals. Surprisingly, he remains available on Day 2 of the legal tampering period. And Adam Schefter of ESPN just offered an explanation for the lack of interest in the 2024 First-Team All-Pro.
Teams haven't met Trey Hendrickon's contract demands in free agency
Adam Schefter had an exchange with ESPN colleague Mike Greenberg and said that Trey Hendrickson hasn't encountered nearly as much interest as he expected in free agency, adding that the four-time Pro Bowl nod is looking for a top-market deal, but no team has been willing to meet his salary demands. Here's the skinny.
"Well, here's the situation, Green. He's been in contact with a number of teams right now. 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 shocked the NFL and gave Jaelan Phillips a $30 million a year," Schefter told Greenberg. "Trey Hendrickson sees himself in the company of those kind of players, and so you would think that 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," Schefter said.
"So 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 gets his price, and until he feels like he does, he's not willing to compromise on that."
Before the legal tampering period began, Joel Corry of CBS Sports projected Hendrickson to get a two-year deal that paid him around $32.5 million per year. Based on how things unfolded, it doesn't look like any team has offered him that amount. The fact that he's coming off a season in which a pelvic surgery might be playing a role in the dearth of interest.
Having said that, it's been a bit surprising to see Hendrickson wait while other pass rushers break the bank. After all, he was unstoppable from 2020 to 2024, registering 70.5 sacks in that span. However, he's also 31, so clubs may be rolling with younger players who aren't as accomplished but have plenty of upside.
Surprisingly, though, there are still plenty of options available in the open market aside from Hendrickson. K'Lavon Chaisson and Arnold Ebiketie have yet to find a team, as of this writing, but both were expected to get $8 million to $10 million.
Why it makes sense for the Jaguars to pursue Trey Hendrickson now
Aside from re-signing cornerback Montaric Brown and linebacker Dennis Gardeck, the Jaguars have been relatively quiet to start the legal tampering period. However, they're beginning to free up cap space, which could be a sign that they're gearing up to make a few moves.
In fact, the Jags might be waiting to make any moves because they'll be hunting for bargains. And while signing Trey Hendrickson won't come cheap, signing him at the right price would be huge, as he would bolster the pass rush alongside Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.
Of course, another team could swoop in and sign Hendrickson, but the Jags probably won't want to spend more than what they have in mind.
As Adam Schefter noted, the demand for Trey Hendrickson isn't there, and he'll need to accept it at some point. Sure, this might not have happened if the Cincinnati Bengals had played hardball with him the past few years, but that cannot be changed, and he'll need to deal with his current reality. That, in turn, may present a great opportunity for the Jaguars to fortify the pass rush.