Jason Burgos
The Baltimore Ravens stunned the NFL world on Tuesday when they backed out of their blockbuster trade to acquire Las Vegas Raiders star pass rusher Maxx Crosby. However, that was just the beginning of a wild 12 hours for the franchise.
In a bold pivot after scrapping the trade for the five-time Pro Bowler, ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to report that Baltimore has snagged the biggest fish in this year’s free agent market, Trey Hendrickson. The four-time Pro Bowler is reportedly getting a four-year, $112 million contract to leave the Cincinnati Bengals and join a top division rival.
Let’s take a look at the biggest winners and losers from the Baltimore Ravens’ massive change in direction this week.
Winner: Baltimore Ravens
Obviously, one of the biggest winners in the news is the Ravens. Many questioned their decision to randomly change their minds on the deal for Crosby. However, the organization is respected around the NFL for how thorough their medical team is, and they simply didn’t like what they saw after evaluating the Raiders star.
Usually, when something like that happens, a team goes in a far less flashy direction. However, Baltimore must have made the decision to back out of the trade, knowing they could pivot to the next best thing in free agency. Hendrickson can play a big role in a title contender next season.
Loser: Maxx Crosby
A few days ago, Crosby thought he was leaving one of the most poorly run NFL franchises in the league and heading to the best. Now, he returns to an awkward situation and a lot of uncertainty about his future. He could still end up with a playoff-level team this offseason, but he may also end up in just as bad a situation now with the Raiders’ asking price damaged after Baltimore was scared off by his medical records.
Winner: Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson chose to pass on the offers he was getting from the Bengals and bet on himself in NFL free agency. While he isn’t getting paid like an elite defensive player (his annual average is $28 million), he got close to what he was allegedly looking for (around $30 million annually), and lands with an organization that has Super Bowl aspirations in 2026. This deal seems like a win-win for Hendrickson.
Loser: Joe Burrow
Social media was filled with jokes about Joe Burrow now having Maxx Crosby join TJ Watt and Myles Garrett as elite AFC North pass rushers to terrorize him in 2026. Last night, he thought he was off the hook. Now, instead, he will have to worry about his long-time teammate, Hendrickson, chasing him down for a division rival next season. The news will be more fuel for the speculation that the star QB will eventually ask out of Cincinnati.
Winner: Jesse Minter
First-time NFL head coach Jesse Minter walked into a great situation when he was hired by the Ravens to be John Harbaugh’s replacement. He didn’t take over a messy situation. The Ravens were a good team in 2025. They just weren’t meeting the high standards set, oddly enough, by Harbaugh.
After the addition of Hendrickson, the former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator has a real chance to be just the third coach to ever win a Super Bowl in their first season in the top job.
Loser: Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, and Indianapolis Colts
While Hendrickson did not come off the free agent board quickly like other top players in this year’s class, he had many suitors. Teams like the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, and Indianapolis Colts were all reportedly interested in the four-time Pro Bowler.
Adding star players with money is often preferred. However, now those playoff contenders will have to give up meaningful draft assets in a trade for the next best player available, Maxx Crosby. However, as Baltimore showed this week, there is now a medical risk in such a move.
