If the Philadelphia Eagles made this trade, their path to back-to-back Super Bowl championships would be clear.
The Philadelphia Eagles are 6-2 and remain one of the NFL's best teams, but it's pretty clear that something is missing here.
While there was a whole lot of chatter about the Eagles' struggling offense earlier in the season, it seems fairly obvious at this point that their defense is actually the bigger problem.
More specifically, Philadelphia is laboring in its pass rush, where it has accumulated 16 sacks through the first eight weeks. That isn't going to cut it for a Super Bowl contender.
The Eagles have been tabbed as one of the most likely teams to swing a trade for an edge rusher before the NFL trade deadline and have been linked to names like Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips and Arden Key. But if Philadelphia really wants to repeat, it should swing for the fences.
That's where Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson comes into play.
Hendrickson has been at odds with the Bengals ever since the offseason. He wanted a long-term contract, and Cincinnati didn't give it to him. The two sides ultimately agreed to a revised deal for 2025, but the four-time Pro Bowler is still headed toward free agency after the year concludes.
With Joe Burrow being out for most — if not all — of the season and the Bengals not seeming eager to re-sign Hendrickson, especially not after already paying Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, it makes plenty of sense for them to trade him now.
Should Cincinnati attempt to move Hendrickson, the Eagles should be front and center in trying to acquire him, especially given how much 2026 draft capital Philadelphia owns.
Hendrickson would completely change things for the Eagles defensively. He has posted back-to-back 17.5-sack campaigns and has totaled four sacks and eight quarterback hits in seven games this season. He would comprise the best possible option Philadelphia could add to boost its defense before the deadline, and he would make Philly absolutely terrifying.
Remember: the Eagles should also be getting Nolan Smith back from injured reserve relatively soon, so Philadelphia's pass rush could look awfully different heading into the playoffs if it does complete a deal for Hendrickson.
Hendrickson isn't just a pipe dream, either. He is a realistic target, and if there is any team in the league that can afford to gamble on the 30-year-old (who could walk during the offseason), it's the Eagles.