Despite a desperate need for defensive talent, the Dallas Cowboys are reportedly cooling their interest in one of free agency’s premier pass rushers, Trey Hendrickson. The NFL Network’s Jane Slater recently cleared the air about the Cowboys’ interest in the four-time Pro Bowler.

“I was told “not necessarily” but I do believe they will explore it,” noted Jane on X. “Right now they have 3 guys that basically play the same position as they go from 4-3 to 3-4. Osa would need to step in and play a 4i he’s young and athletic.”

Trey Hendrickson played for the Cincinnati Bengals for five seasons, winning Pro Bowl honors four consecutive times. But they are parting ways this offseason.

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The 31-year-old is set to hit free agency, making him one of the top prospects for NFL teams. Considering how poorly the Cowboys’ defense fared in 2025, he naturally emerged as one of the first names to be linked, especially after Maxx Crosby went to the Ravens amid Dallas links.

Conceding a total of 511 points, the Cowboys’ defense was ranked last (32nd), allowing 30.1 points per game during the 2025 campaign.

Jerry Jones realized that bold changes were required to revitalize the team’s struggling defense, and Christian Parker was hired as the new DC, replacing Matt Eberflus.

Under Parker, the franchise is set to transition to a new 3-4 base defense, shifting away from the longstanding 4-3 scheme that had been followed since 2014.

With that change, the Cowboys now have options like Kenny Clark, Osa Odighizuwa, and Quinnen Williams for the defensive position, eliminating the need to invest in an expensive Trey Hendrickson altogether.

Moreover, the Bengals star is 31 and missed the majority of the 2025 campaign after a hip injury, making it another possible contributing factor to the decision. However, Jerry Jones might look for other options in free agency.

Jerry Jones’ free agency plan is to be “aggressive”

The Dallas Cowboys ended the 2025 season with a 7-9-1 regular season, failing to reach the postseason. While multiple receivers crossed the 1,000-yard mark on offense, the defense was unable to step up.

To fix the imbalance, Jerry Jones has already stated that he plans to be aggressive in free agency, which officially opens at 4 p.m ET on March 11. In addition, Jane Slater made a similar remark in the same tweet.

“I do believe they have some other FA they will be aggressive on here next week,” said the NFL Network reporter.

With Trey seemingly out of the picture, the Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke, the Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean, the New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor, and the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl-winning cornerback Riq Woolen could be the premium defensive options from free agency this year.