Trey Hendrickson Free Agency: Cowboys Now Out, Lions Emerge as New Frontrunner
The Trey Hendrickson sweepstakes took a dramatic turn Tuesday, March 10, as the Dallas Cowboys appear to have backed off following their acquisition of Rashan Gary — leaving the Detroit Lions as the new frontrunner for the four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher who led the NFL in sacks in back-to-back seasons.
Cowboys Now Expected to Be Out on Trey Hendrickson After Rashan Gary Trade
The Cowboys had checked in on free agent defensive end Trey Hendrickson, but with the acquisition of Gary from Green Bay, Dallas is now expected to be out on Hendrickson unless his price tag drops significantly.
Dallas said no to the Las Vegas Raiders' asking price of two first-round picks for Maxx Crosby — the Ravens said yes and that was that. The Cowboys then pivoted to Rashan Gary on a cheap fourth-round pick swap, effectively filling their edge rusher need without surrendering significant draft capital or committing to a nine-figure free-agent deal.
The Cowboys had created significant cap room to pursue Hendrickson, restructuring offensive tackle Terence Steele's contract to generate approximately $13 million in additional salary cap space — on top of adjustments to Dak Prescott's and Tyler Smith's deals that created roughly $47 million in total flexibility. That room now exists for other positions.
Detroit Lions Emerge as New Frontrunner for Trey Hendrickson
The Detroit Lions signing Trey Hendrickson now makes sense. Previously, acquiring Hendrickson would have required a trade and significant draft capital, which did not align with Detroit's long-term strategy. But now that Hendrickson is a free agent, the Lions can pursue him without giving up any valuable assets whatsoever.
According to projections from The Athletic, Hendrickson could land a three-year, $99 million deal. If structured properly, this would allow Detroit to add a high-impact pass rusher while maintaining roster flexibility heading into a critical stretch of their championship window.
Trey Hendrickson's Career Numbers Justify the Price Tag
Hendrickson registered a career-high 17.5 sacks in 2023, then repeated that exact figure in 2024 while leading the NFL in the category and earning first-team All-Pro honors. Back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons is a mark no other rusher in the league matched during that stretch.
In 2025, injuries limited Hendrickson to just seven games — core muscle and hip problems ending what looked like another dominant season in its tracks. But prior to that, he played all 17 games in each of 2023 and 2024, and at least 14 in each of the three seasons before that, dating back to 2020. Durability before last season was never a concern.
What Trey Hendrickson Brings to His Next Team
ESPN's Dan Graziano projects a three-year, $84 million contract with $28 million in guaranteed money in 2026 — though Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport projects the number higher at three years and $97.5 million. Hendrickson is 31, and the gap between those two projections reflects genuine market uncertainty about how his 2025 injury season affects his price.
Hendrickson becomes one of the most coveted unsigned names remaining as Tuesday's tampering window closes and the new NFL league year officially opens Wednesday, March 11 at 4:00 p.m. ET.
