Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive end, Trey Hendrickson, who has led all defenders in combined sacks since 2021, was in a heavy spat with the team regarding his contract. 

After arriving in Cincinnati, Hendrickson became a total force on the defensive line. He posted two consecutive seasons where he registered 17.5 sacks – the most recent being last season, where he led the league.

The impact he made on the field was undeniable, and if he and Cincinnati weren’t going to agree on a new deal, then perhaps a trade would be in the works.

The Bengals dangled him around to other teams, garnering his value throughout the league. With stats like that, Hendrickson should be worth at least a first round pick and more. The difference is, he turns 31 years old in December.

And that brought in the hesitancy for the Packers.

There was no doubt that before the Bengals and Hendrickson agreed on a contract restructure, which will pay Hendrickson $30 million for the 2025 season, that they wanted to sign him to an extension. But Hendrickson wanted guarantees past the first year, and that’s where the Bengals scoffed.

With how the average NFL player’s quality of play declines when they’re well into their 30s, giving a hefty guarantee to someone who isn’t a guarantee themselves is a fair concern for teams.

And if other teams want to trade for that, is that even worth the price of admission?

Parsons, who turned 26 in May, was traded to the Packers on August 28 for two first rounders and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Dallas Cowboys.

It was the completely right move for Green Bay. Avoid throwing first round capital for a potentially declining and expensive asset, and go after the All-Pro who still can give you his best years.

There’s no doubt Hendrickson can ball, but his age is an unfortunate reality in this sport. Can he repeat 17.5 sacks at 31? It’s hard to imagine he will, especially playing in the trenches at a high level for so long. 

It wasn’t until the age of 27 where future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt’s career started falling off due to injuries. 

His brother T.J. on the Pittsburgh Steelers is the same age as Hendrickson and we’ve already seen his sack count significantly drop in his age-30 season.

Green Bay did the right thing to check in on Hendrickson’s availability, but in the end, paying all that guaranteed money to a depreciating asset was highly risky. 

All things considered, the Pack got their guy though.