Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson is a star hiding in plain sight
During every practice, the Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive linemen race each other. Defensive line coach Marion Hobby holds a football and simulates a snap, and the defensive linemen rush to see who can cover 10 yards the quickest.
Among that group of players, Myles Murphy is the first-round pick who ran an astounding 4.47-second 40-yard dash. Joseph Ossai is known as a speed rusher. Sam Hubbard is a former standout lacrosse player.
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But Trey Hendrickson is the player who usually makes it to the finish line first.
“Trey is Lightning McQueen,” Ossai said.
Hendrickson, a former two-star recruit who played college football at Florida Atlantic, is now a two-time Pro Bowler with the Bengals. He’s tied for fourth in the NFL with seven sacks this year, and Hendrickson would be the league leader in that category if three sacks weren’t wiped away due to a penalty.
When the Bengals signed Hendrickson to a lucrative four-year deal in 2021, Hendrickson remembers how much the Bengals were criticized for making the move. Hendrickson was knocked for being a complementary pass rusher who was at his best when he was a part of a rotation.
Over the last three years, Hendrickson has made those concerns look foolish. Now, his teammates wonder why he hasn’t gained much recognition as one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.
“People don’t realize how quick and fast he is when he gets off the ball,” defensive tackle DJ Reader said. “He’s an athlete. People traditionally look at him and don’t see he’s a freak athlete. He’s the guy with no gloves and no OG swag out there. But he’s just a baller.”
Hendrickson has a different style than stars like Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa, TJ Watt, Micah Parsons and Joey Bosa. Those players were top-rated recruits and first-round picks who have spent their entire careers in the spotlight.
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Hendrickson was a late-bloomer who wasn’t even a starter in the NFL until his fourth year in the league.
“As a lower drafted third-round guy rather than a first-round pick, you’ve really got to be consistent for a long time to get your respect,” Hubbard said. “Some first rounders get it immediately. Trey’s resume and film have put the whole league on notice to give him the respect he deserves.”
Hendrickson doesn’t sell as many jerseys as the national stars at his position. His signature celebration is an understated point to the sky. He talks trash as much as anyone during games, but Hendrickson rarely does interviews during the season. Unlike most of his peers, he’s not on social media.
On the field, Hendrickson’s approach as a pass rusher is more subtle than the perennial All-Pros at his position. The variety of his pass rush moves immediately stands out to the offensive linemen who block him. Hendrickson’s reaction time to the snap is an elite skill. He excels at getting underneath the pads of the offensive tackle.
He embraces his role rushing in tandem with the rest of the defensive line, and Hendrickson executes pass rush moves that set up other defensive linemen. He’s fast and strong like any standout pass rusher, but he’s also incredibly efficient with the way he moves at the line of scrimmage.
“He’s a freakish athlete,” Ossai said. “People don’t expect him to have that athleticism. He’s extremely quick. I guess that’s where they underestimate. He doesn't have the natural frame of a Myles Garrett or TJ Watt has. That’s probably where underrating him comes from. But anyone who plays against him knows that when you line up against No. 91, you’re going to get hell for 60 minutes straight.”
Hendrickson’s unselfishness stands out to defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. To keep defenses guessing, Hendrickson drops back into coverage a few times per game. Other times, Hendrickson plays a part in a pass rush game on the line of scrimmage to open up a sack opportunity for a teammate, like he did on Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson’s sack against the Seattle Seahawks.
As a result, Hendrickson misses out on some chances to boost his sack total. His teammates recognize the impact of those plays that don’t show up in the stat sheet.
“He knows what he’s trying to accomplish on every down and accomplishes that task,” Wilson said. “That consistency has allowed him to play at such a high level. He’s a relentless pass rusher. Even if the offensive tackle thinks he has Trey, he keeps playing with incredible effort.”
Over the last three years, Hendrickson has been the MVP of the Bengals defense with 29 sacks and seven forced fumbles. He’s known as a “closer” who’s at his best late in the fourth quarter. Hendrickson ruined comebacks with game-clinching plays in the backfield against the Los Angeles Rams and the Arizona Cardinals. His sack on first and goal late in the fourth quarter against the Seahawks was one of the biggest plays of this season.
Through six games this year, Hendrickson ranks in the top 10 in just about every advanced pass rush metric. He’s already one sack away from surpassing his sack total from the entire 2022 season, and he has gotten better every year since he joined the Bengals.
“He works his tail off,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. “He's here all the time taking care of his body and making sure he can get through the week healthy and get to Sunday and be as effective as he possibly can be. That's a big reason for his production. He's a very intelligent player. He knows how to attack guys. He can understand what's coming at him. That leads to really good production and helps our team."
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Trey Hendrickson has a case as one of the best pass rushers in the NFL
