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Worst NFL offseason move for each of the 32 teams

By Randy Gurzi

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 22: Bud Dupree #48 of the Pittsburgh Steelers encourages the crowd against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on December 22, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 22: Bud Dupree #48 of the Pittsburgh Steelers encourages the crowd against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on December 22, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – OCTOBER 27: Trey Hendrickson #91 of the New Orleans Saintsreacts after a sack during a NFL game during a game against the New Orleans Saintsat the Mercedes Benz Superdome on October 27, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

Cincinnati Bengals: Replacing Lawson with Hendrickson

With Carl Lawson leaving in free agency, the Cinncinatti Bengals needed to find a new edge rusher. They did so by signing Trey Hendrickson away from the New Orleans Saints. If we were looking at straight comparisons, it would be apparent that the Bengals ended up downgrading some at the position.

Hendrickson is a good player but Lawson was a bit better in the pass-rushing department last season and has been more steady overall than Hendrickson who really broke out in 2020. But that happens sometimes in free agency when a good player leaves.

The problem is, the Bengals didn’t really just settle for the next best thing after Lawson. Instead, they backed up the Brinks truck and gave Hendrickson a better deal than the one Lawson got. They each ended up with $15 million per season but Hendrickson got $60 million over four seasons with Lawson netting $45 million over three.

To be fair to the Bengals, they didn’t give Hendrickson as much in guarantees as the Jets gave to Lawson but still, a similar deal to the one that they gave Hendrickson would have surely kept Lawson in Cincy. It wasn’t the worst move ever, but the Bengals’ defense did take a step back this season.

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