Ranking top-5 edge rushing duos after Chargers blockbuster trade for Khalil Mack
By Jason Reed
2. Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard, Cincinnati Bengals
Fans could compare the LA Chargers to both the LA Rams and Cincinnati Bengals last season and there was a desire for the Bolts to copy both teams in some regard. When it came to the Bengals, they could copy the blueprint of who the team brought in on defense to turn one of the league's worst defenses into one of the most well-rounded.
For the Rams, the Chargers could copy the team's aggressiveness to go for it and capitalize on a Super Bowl window. They did not have to be as aggressive, but some aggression would have been nice moving forward.
The Bolts are well on their way to copying both teams after trading for Khalil Mack as they made the kind of splashy move the Rams would make while they are adding a similar player as the Bengals, who signed Trey Hendrickson to a big deal last offseason.
The result was better than most expected as Hendrickson finished the season with 20 sacks and ranked tied for third (with Gary) in overall quarterback pressures. He was exactly what this defensive line needed and was fantastic for the Bengals.
Sam Hubbard was also really good alongside him. Hubbard does not get the attention he deserves in this defense as he had a solid year that was a slightly better version of what Ngakoue did for the Raiders in 2021. Hubbard finished with 65 quarterback pressures and 12 sacks.
Having 32 pressures between two players is no joke and with the pressure numbers to back it up, it is clear that the Bengals are the second-best edge-rushing duo in the league.