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https://twitter.com/JosinaAnderson/status/1371503475016732673
Trey Hendrickson is expected to enjoy a busy market as the top New Orleans Saints pending free agent, and NFL insider Josina Anderson has already reported three teams seeking his services. Anderson listed (in no specific order) the New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, and Cleveland Browns as three suitors interested in Hendrickson at the opening of the NFL legal tampering window.
Now, we’re in a very fluid situation. No deals can be signed until the new league year begins Wednesday afternoon. Any of these teams could drop out and others could be in play. But it’s clear that Hendrickson’s breakout 2020 season caught the attention of several big spenders.
And there’s quite a demand for accomplished pass rushers. Romeo Okwara returned to the Detroit Lions on a $39 million contract; Shaq Barrett dwarfed that in a $72 million extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hendrickson should earn comparable money after tying for second-best in the NFL last year with 13.5 sacks.
Of those three teams, the Jets have the most to offer with more than $68 million in cap space; the Browns are expected to be more discerning investors with $24 million to work with, while the Vikings only have roughly $9 million to spend. But Minnesota might have the worst need after logging just 23 sacks as a team last year — New York had 31, and Cleveland bagged 38 but wants to improve with a complimentary edge rusher to Myles Garrett. Let’s see where Hendrickson ends up.
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