The Cincinnati Bengals paid up big for edge rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency after losing Carl Lawson.
It was fairly judged as a risky manuever by the Bengals given Lawson’s past production and the fact Hendrickson has just one big season of production on his resume so far.
But when used in certain alignments, that one season was one of the NFL’s best, as explained by Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar:
“More often than not these days, a 7-tech pass-rusher is working outside the tackle from a more reduced position than the 9-tech. If we go with that specific designation, Trey Hendrickson, formerly of the Saints and now of the Bengals after signing a four-year, $60 million contract this offseason, is the king of the pass-rushing 7-techs, and it isn’t even close. Last season, Hendrickson had 10 sacks and 34 total pressures on 217 pass-rushing snaps from that technique. It’s a Saints thing, too, as Cameron Jordan, Hendrickson’s former New Orleans teammate, finished second with four sacks, and had 28 total pressures out of 208 pass-rushing snaps from a 7-tech alignment.”
In other words, the Bengals probably had this specific vision and usage for Hendrickson in mind when signing the former New Orleans Saints standout to headline the pass-rush in Lou Anarumo’s scheme.
The Bengals are counting on last year’s production to be a sign of things to come from Hendrickson, though it will take playing him to his strengths.
Said strengths aren’t exactly hard to see, so it’s safe to project one of the newest Bengals to have a big impact upon arrival.
