The highs and lows of free agency have come and gone with monumental signings at every corner of the league. As the dust clears for the Kansas City Chiefs, taking a long look at what past years' rivals have added talent-wise is a worthy exercise.
For the Baltimore Ravens, this offseason has been murky to say the least, with a Lamar Jackson contract extension looming over the organization's head, depleted offensive talent, and a change at head coach. While the reneged trade to acquire Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders cast a negative light on GM Eric DeCosta, Trey Hendrickson has the potential to be an even better addition for Baltimore and may force the Chiefs and GM Brett Veach to rethink their draft strategy.
Ravens' Improved Pass-Rush New Hurdle for Chiefs to Clear
Seemingly minutes after the Crosby trade fell through, four-time Pro-Bowler Trey Hendrickson signed a four-year, $112 million contract with the Ravens. Odd timing and negotiations aside, the 31-year-old Hendrickson has proven time and again that he is an upper-tier, elite-level sack getter with 17.5 in both 2023 and 2024.
Baltimore has sorely been lacking any semblance of a reliable guy on the edge that can crush the pocket quickly and consistently. The Ravens' top three edge-rushers combined for just 9.5 sacks in 2025, which ranked darn near the bottom of the league. It’s a massive reason they missed the playoffs, and has been a yearly weakness for them, especially in the playoffs, when getting pressure with four is paramount.
Chiefs May Be Forced the Take An Offensive Tackle Early in the Draft
Rumors of what the Chiefs will do with their two first-round picks have been swirling for months, with major holes at pass-rusher and wide receiver. But with Baltimore’s front adding Hendrickson, it’s not a crazy thought that Veach opts to take a franchise right tackle at pick No. 9 or No. 29, similar to what happened last year with left tackle Josh Simmons.
While it’s not an immediate need, the Chiefs do not have a right tackle under contract beyond this upcoming season, and even so, Jaylon Moore’s limited snaps last year were, at times, impressive but more often than not were a disappointment. Patrick Mahomes is entering his early 30s and coming off a major leg injury that could definitely impact his mobility as he eases himself back onto the football field.Â
Moreover, the Chiefs' offseason splash signing of running back Kenneth Walker III could signal a change from the norm in Andy Reid’s run game scheme. Walker is best when he can scan the backfield, bounce it outside the tackles, and run down the sideline, which is not at all what the Chiefs have done in past years with more power-based, inside-gap run plays.Â
Having young, talented, bookend tackles like Simmons and another premium rookie could prove a massive benefit to improving the Chiefs' run game. And come playoff time, mitigate the effect elite pass-rushers like Trey Hendrickson have on the game.