Trey Hendrickson was at the top of the free agency wish list for many Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans this offseason.
Landing a game-changing pass rusher was the team’s biggest priority, and Hendrickson was the best option at the market.
The Bucs ultimately missed out when Hendrickson decided to sign with the Baltimore Ravens after they backed out of their initial Maxx Crosby Trade agreement.
Many were upset with Jason Licht for not being aggressive and failing to land a top edge rusher, but the Bucs general manager confirmed it wasn’t for a lack of effort.
Buccaneers wanted to sign Trey Hendrickson in free agency
Licht appeared on the Pat McAfee Show earlier this week to recap the team’s offseason.
He surprisingly opened up about missing out on Hendrickson in free agency, and how the initial disappointment wore off after the team was able to draft Rueben Bain Jr..
"We were in on Trey Hendrickson a little bit..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 5, 2026
Maybe it worked in our favor now getting Rueben Bain" ~ @jasonrlicht #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/YXWnNRmvwO
“Hendrickson being signed by the Ravens, we were in on that a little bit. Felt a little bit, you know, dejected at first, but now maybe it worked in our favor,” said Licht. “Not saying Rueben is better than Hendrickson, I’m just saying now we’ve got our draft pick that we’re all excited about.”
Hendrickson is 31 years old and coming off an injury-riddled season. He ultimately signed a four-year, $112 million contract with Baltimore including $60 million fully guaranteed.
The Bucs ended up landing a 21-year-old Bain on a rookie contract worth $22,785,000, carrying a yearly average of $5,696,250, according to Spotrac. His signing bonus is worth $13,030,910.
So while Hendrickson is the more established player, he is in the tail end of his career. The Bucs got a much younger and cheaper player that could end up being a cornerstone of their defense for years to come.
While many Bucs fans joined Licht in the initial disappointment of missing out on Hendrickson, it’s safe to say things worked out just fine for Tampa Bay.
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