The Cowboys have been linked with Trey Hendrickson for years, and now that he might be available, the franchise might have its work cut out to sign him.
The Dallas Cowboys are going big-game hunting this offseason. Well, if you believe owner Jerry Jones.
With the Cowboys having clear needs on defense, and the offense being mostly set, it makes sense for the front office to be defensive-minded.
And we think they will be.
Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson have been the two "Ferarri's" we have seen the Cowboys linked with over the past couple of weeks, and that talk has heated up over the last 48 hours.
We know now that the Las Vegas Raiders' asking price was two first-rounders, and Dallas wasn't parting ways with both. And now Maxx has been traded to the Ravens.
So what of Hendrickson? He looms as an interesting watch, given that he is set to be a free agent and won't require Dallas to part ways with any draft capital to sign him.
But now there is something that might make Dallas balk at Hendrickson.
Most thought that his market price is $25 million APY, which is more than manageable for the Cowboys.
But CBS Sports' Joel Corry, who is also a former NFL agent, has done the numbers on what he would be seeking if he were Trey's agent.
And it doesn't bode well for the Cowboys.
- Contract package: $65 million/2 years ($32.5 million per year)
- Overall guarantees: $47.5 million
- Fully guaranteed at signing: $35 million
Would the Cowboys be fine going after Hendrickson at these prices?
Well, if Jerry is true to his word and mortgages some of the future to get deals done, then we would have to say yes.
But $32.5 million APY for a 31-year-old player could make some question the move.
At $25 million APY, that is seen as doable, especially given that Hendrickson is coming off an injury that ended his 2025 season early.
But if what Corry has put on paper is what the Cowboys can expect from Hendrickson, we have to wonder if that makes things tougher to get a deal done.
Also, as it relates to Crosby, his base salary is $30 million APY in 2026, although Dallas could restructure his contract to clear $21 million per Over The Cap.
So both contracts would be doable for the Cowboys, and either would represent a serious shift in approach for the front office.
But if what is presented here is what the Cowboys are looking at, which way should the franchise go?
That, my friends, is the question Jerry must ask himself.