The Cincinnati Bengals' plans for Hendrickson remain unclear. If they place the franchise tag on the veteran defensive end, teams like the 49ers would need to search elsewhere for help. However, Cincinnati could also allocate that money elsewhere after a disappointing six-win season.
According to CBS Sports, the 49ers and the Indianapolis Colts are viewed as the two most likely teams to pursue Hendrickson if he reaches the open market. Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who held the same role with the Bengals from 2019 through 2024, has a clear connection to the veteran pass rusher.
Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports also sees the 49ers as a logical landing spot.
"You look at the 49ers, they had the fewest sacks in the NFL last season," Sullivan said. "Obviously, a lot of that was due to injury, but you continue to add in attacking the quarterback when you're in a division where you have to go up against [Rams QB] Matthew Stafford and [Seahawks QB] Sam Darnold. So to me, Trey Hendrickson in San Fran would make sense as well."
Hendrickson (6-4, 265) appeared in just seven games in 2025 due to injury, recording four sacks — his lowest total since 2018. However, he entered last season coming off back-to-back 17.5-sack campaigns and has posted at least 13.5 sacks in four of the past six seasons.
Age could factor into his market value. Hendrickson is 31 and entering his 10th NFL season, which may give some teams pause when considering a hefty multi-year deal. Despite concerns, Spotrac estimates Hendrickson's value at an average annual salary of $25.4 million and can envision him earning a two-year, $50.9 million deal this offseason.
Originally selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Florida Atlantic, Hendrickson has compiled 236 tackles, 81 sacks, 16 passes defensed, and 15 forced fumbles across 117 career games (88 starts).
The 49ers must weigh the pros and cons of investing heavily in a proven veteran pass rusher versus turning to the NFL Draft or more cost-effective free-agent options.
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