JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars have some clear needs ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline, and reinforcements for the pass-rush just might trump everything else.
Whether the Jaguars choose to be aggressive to give Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker some help over the next two weeks, it is clear the Jaguars must do something. And in one recent projection, that something is suggested to be a bold and likely expensive move.
In a review by CBS Sports of nine players who could benefit from new situations, the Jaguars were listed as a logical landing spot for Cincinnati Bengals star defensive end Trey Hendrickson. The Jaguars were listed alongside the likes of the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and San Francisco 49ers.
“Riding high off the spark of Joe Flacco’s emergency arrival, Cincinnati will probably be motivated to hold, not sell, as it awaits Joe Burrow’s late-year return. Still, Hendrickson has struggled to get a firm long-term commitment from Bengals brass for years. And he’d look pretty good bringing his pure pass-rushing skills to, say, a team already positioned to make some late-year noise,” CBS said.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) is sacked by Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) during the second half at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
On the surface, this would obviously be a potentially season-changing move for a Jaguars defense that started the season on fire but has slipped over the last three weeks. Hendrickson is a top-tier pass-rusher and would give the Jaguars arguably the best defensive end depth chart in the entire NFL.
The Jaguars have been one of the NFL’s worst overall pass-rush units this year, tied for No. 32 in sacks, No. 32% in sack rate, No. 16 in pressures, and No. 27 in pressure rate. The Jaguars have just one sack in the last three games, while the offense has allowed 17 in that span to give the Jaguars -16 sack differential during their 1-2 slump before the bye week.
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) watches a replay as the Detroit Lions celebrate a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. The Bengals continued a losing streak, falling 37-24 to the Lions. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
With that said, Hendrickson likely won’t come cheap. He will need a new contract from whoever potentially trades for him, while it appears the Bengals likely would not take anything less than at least a second-round pick for their disgruntled but productive star pass-rusher. Still, this seems like a price the Jaguars would be wise to avoid.
Sep 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) plays the field against Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Walker Little (72) in the second half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
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