The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
He's been a better run defender over the last year, year and a half than what we saw early in his career.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
And I think that, you know, we are in a league now where you're going to want it.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
There is a weekly theory that happens at the second level and in the secondary, right?
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
Where you just don't want to have guys that are easy to pick on.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
I think so often about that 49ers Chiefs rematch in the Super Bowl after Dre Greenlaw gets hurt.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
And you just see, I mean, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelsey just
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
Instantly clicked into, we will just pepper whoever this weak side linebacker is, right?
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
Just all game long.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
A guy like Devin Lloyd, while he's not a perfect player, if he is playing as your second best linebacker, as your move around linebacker, you can probably live with that, especially if you have a true Mike backer that he can play off of.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
I think that fits-wise, that's where it really gets interesting because I don't know if there are many teams that actually check that box of having a linebacker better than Devin Lloyd while also needing a linebacker like Lloyd to really help complete the defense.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
So the market for me, I think, is going to be probably all over the place.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
And I think that maybe the spot I'm really rooting for him to land would be the Rams, who have taken a similar body type when Ernest Jones was there early in his career.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
Kind of raw, long guy defense.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
you know, use more as a blitzer.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
He kind of flexed down and was a pass rusher at times early in his career.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
And they kind of ended up melding him or molding him into a true off-ball linebacker.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
I think they could look at a guy like Devin Lloyd and be able to get similar play out of him.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
Could be a last ride element to next year with Matthew Stafford coming back.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
So maybe you're willing to spend for a year or two years.
The Ringer NFL Show
Free Agency Matchmaker: Finding Fits for Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans, and Others!
Maybe we will mortgage 2027 to maximize 2026.