He’s 30, Pricey, and Dominant — Should the Eagles Really Go All-In on This Star Edge?

The whispers have turned into full-blown speculation: the Philadelphia Eagles are seriously eyeing a trade for Trey Hendrickson, the Cincinnati Bengals’ star edge rusher who just wrapped up a 17.5-sack season, made his fourth straight Pro Bowl, and is still terrorizing quarterbacks like he’s in his prime. But he’s also 30. He’s due for a contract extension. And acquiring him would likely cost a Day 2 draft pick — maybe more.

So the question looms: Should the Eagles really go all-in on this kind of move right now?

At first glance, the logic seems sound. The team just traded away Bryce Huff, saw Josh Sweat’s productivity taper off, and still hasn’t truly filled the void left by Haason Reddick. While Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith are expected to lead the next generation of pass-rushers, what Philadelphia lacks — and desperately needs — is a proven, every-down edge threat who commands double teams and changes game plans.

And that’s exactly what Hendrickson offers.

Over the past two seasons, he’s racked up 33 total sacks, over 150 pressures, and has graded out as one of Pro Football Focus’ top five edge defenders. He’s the kind of player who doesn’t just get stats — he creates chaos. And in Vic Fangio’s defense, where smart, disciplined disruption is valued more than freelancing flash, he might be the perfect chess piece to balance out Carter’s interior dominance.

But here’s where the debate gets heated.

Hendrickson is 30 — an age where pass rushers either age like wine or evaporate like cheap beer. His current contract is set to expire after this season, and he’s reportedly seeking top-10 money. Are the Eagles ready to invest in a soon-to-be 31-year-old with a six-figure cap hit and limited runway left?

Some fans say yes — and loudly.

“We’re in a win-now window with Jalen Hurts and Barkley,” one fan wrote on X. “Give up the pick. Get the sack machine. Let’s go win the damn thing.”

Others push back, arguing that mortgaging future draft capital — especially second or third-rounders — for a player on the back nine of his career flies in the face of the team’s successful draft-and-develop model. “This isn’t 2022. We can’t keep buying band-aids,” one commenter wrote on Reddit.

What complicates the matter is timing. With rookies like Jihaad Campbell still developing and the Eagles saving cap space post-Huff trade, the opportunity to strike now — before other contenders enter the bidding war — might be short-lived.

Howie Roseman is no stranger to bold moves. He brought in A.J. Brown when few saw it coming. He landed Darius Slay when the Lions wouldn’t pay him. And he’s rarely let age stop him from pulling the trigger if the fit is right.

But this move? Adding Trey Hendrickson would be a defining one.

Bring in the Bengals’ star, and the Eagles send a message: 2025 isn’t a rebuilding year. It’s the year. But pass on it, and Philly fans may wonder whether this was the last shot at building a truly fearsome defense around Carter and Hurts in their primes.

The clock is ticking. And so is the pass rush.