49ers expected to check in with Bengals about a Trey Hendrickson trade
The San Francisco 49ers are 4-1, sitting atop the NFC West. But, they aren't a final roster by any means. With injuries to multiple offensive positions and some defensive uncertainty, the 49ers have a few reasons to be active at the trade deadline.
One of those positions that the 49ers need to address is along their defensive line, specifically, in adding a pass rusher to replace the injured Nick Bosa.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the 49ers are not just going to canvass the pass rusher trade market, but they're expected to make a call to the Cincinnati Bengals about star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.
49ers expected to call Bengals about a Trey Hendrickson trade
While the Bengals have dealt with an injury to their starting quarterback like the 49ers have, their record is vastly different. At 2-3, the Bengals might be moving towards a sell-off if their schedule leading up to the trade deadline goes poorly.
"San Francisco is canvassing the pass rusher market to fill the void left by Nick Bosa's injury," Russini reports. "I expected them to call Cincinnati about Trey Hendrickson."
The Bengals' star pass rusher was one of many stars in Cincinnati going through contract disputes. He and the Bengals eventually agreed to a one-year, $29 million restructured deal, which would have Hendrickson hitting the open market after 2025.
Now, with the Bengals down, Joe Burrow at risk of falling significantly behind in the playoff hunt, Hendrickson could be on the move to get back any value instead of letting him stick with the team through a lost year.
The four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher was an All-Pro for the first time in his NFL career in 2024, and for good reason. He led the NFL in sacks with 17.5, which was also the second-straight year with 17.5 sacks.
So far this season, in five games, Hendrickson has four sacks, 13 tackles, and eight quarterback hits. He'd be one of the hottest commodities if he were to become available at the deadline, though, for now, the Bengals aren't likely to trade him.
But, if they continue to lose as the deadline approaches, and 2025 looks more and more like a lost season, a team like the 49ers, in need of pass rush help after Bosa's injury, could pounce and offer a solid return for Cincinnati to land one of the best pass rushers in the game.
The 30-year-old pass rusher is a very intriguing name to watch at the deadline this season, and the 49ers are already being linked to a potential trade by an NFL insider.
It's not a surprise that the 49ers are checking in on Hendrickson with their pass rush injuries, but it's an encouraging sign that the front office would be willing to spend draft capital to bring in a star player like Hendrickson for a Super Bowl push this season.
Ex-Flyers Goalie Pitches Shutout in AHL Debut
In his first ever AHL game, this recently traded former Philadelphia Flyers goalie earned an impressive shutout.
On Friday night, in the head-scratching absence of NHL hockey, the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL affiliates of the Columbus Blue Jackets, faced the Utica Comets in their first regular season game of the year.
Ivan Fedotov, who was traded to the Blue Jackets by the Flyers on Sept. 14, started for the Monsters against the Comets, out-dueling top New Jersey Devils goalie prospect Nico Daws, making 21 saves in a 1-0 victory.
Fedotov's 21-save shutout is his first professional shutout since Feb. 26, 2024, when he made 38 saves in a 4-0 win against Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the Gagarin Cup playoffs while playing for CSKA Moskva.
As for the Flyers, they're content with the 2026 sixth-round pick and the cap space they received for trading Fedotov, as much as they would have liked things to work out differently on the ice.
Heading into 2025-26, the Flyers and the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms will boast a goalie depth of Aleksei Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason - two prospects younger than Fedotov who needed the playing time more.
While the NHL wasn't always his speed, Fedotov, 28, is off to a flying start to life in the AHL. With time and adjustments, it's certainly still possible the 6-foot-7 netminder can put the pieces together and grow into a serviceable NHL goalie.
