Bengals Set to Face Former Teammate This Week in Baltimore

The Cincinnati Bengals will face a familiar face on Sunday when they travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. Trey Hendrickson, who spent five seasons with Cincinnati as one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers, will line up against his former team for the first time since departing in free agency.

Hendrickson became a key piece of the Bengals’ defense after signing with the team in 2021. He recorded 61 sacks during his five seasons in Cincinnati, earning four Pro Bowl selections and establishing himself as one of the league’s most productive edge rushers. However, after a lengthy contract dispute, the two sides parted ways during the offseason.

Hendrickson signed a four-year contract with Baltimore worth a reported $112 million, including $60 million guaranteed, according to NFL.com, giving the Ravens a proven pass rusher within the division. 

His first season in Baltimore has not been without setbacks. Hendrickson missed two games with a finger injury before returning to the lineup in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns. Despite the time away, he immediately made his presence felt in Baltimore’s 13-10 loss.

Hendrickson recorded eight quarterback pressures and a sack against Cleveland, generating those pressures on just 26 pass-rush matchups. He now has 25 quarterback pressures and two sacks this season, with his 22.7% pressure rate ranking third among edge rushers with at least 25 pass-rush snaps, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

The performance serves as a reminder of the threat Hendrickson poses when healthy. His ability to win one-on-one matchups and consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks could create problems for Cincinnati’s offensive line, particularly against a division rival that knows his strengths and tendencies.

The Bengals will need to account for Hendrickson when developing their offensive game plan. Keeping him away from quarterback Joe Burrow will likely require sound protection, effective blocking and a willingness to get the ball out quickly. Cincinnati must also avoid obvious passing situations that allow Hendrickson to attack the pocket, and a matchup to watch will be him against Amarius Mims. 

When asked about Hendrickson, head coach Zac Taylor kept his answer short. He said Hendrickson’s obviously a good player, but the Bengals will have to game plan for an entire Ravens defense that has a ton of impact players. 

Hendrickson’s return adds another storyline to an important AFC North matchup. After years of relying on his pass-rushing ability to disrupt opposing offenses, Cincinnati now faces the challenge of slowing him down.

The Bengals know what Hendrickson can do better than most teams. This week, however, they will have to game-plan against him rather than alongside him.