Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Clay Harbor: Bears should bolster pass rush by signing Trey Hendrickson

Episode Date: January 29, 2026

Marshall Harris and Mark Grote were joined by Chicago Sports Network analyst Clay Harbor, who detailed why the Bears should pursue defensive end Trey Hendrickson in free agency this offseason.

Amy Harris and Grody, midday's 10 a into two on 670, the school. Third down and four. McCarthy, time runs out and down he goes. Just tripped up, and it'll go down as a sack. Pressure by Dio O'Dangbo, who was brought in by the front office to beef up the pass rush for Chicago. Wow, that was in another time, man. They found a Dio Dengbo highlight? In the first game of the season.

Against a backup left tackle. Let's not forget about that. Give it full context, Clay. The Bears lost. Yes, that was a very retro. Dio Dangbo with the sack. As we welcomed me back into Rahimi Harrison Grotie. He just heard the voice of Clay Harbor.

He is with us from CHSN, part of the big pro football show, with our guy, David Haw at CHSN and Ruthie Polinski as well. we've had the luxury of Clay for the last hour. And Clay has to get everybody up to date. Clay has brought us three bold moves that the Bears should make or that he has come up with that he thinks makes sense, including he has already told us, cut Tremaine Edmonds, trade DJ Moore.

And there's nuance to it all, so go back and listen if you'd like. But there is one more part to this. There is somebody who you believe the Bears should sign. Yes. I think the Bears should sign. Trey Hendrickson. Former teammate of mine, former teammate of Dennis Allen.

He was there when I was in New Orleans when we drafted this guy, so was Dennis Allen, Trey Hendrickson. He's a hard worker. You go back to 2024. He led the league in sacks, fourth and hits, fourth in hurries.

Last year, only played in seven games, had a hip issue, fifth and pass rush grade when he played, fifth and pass rush win percentage when he played, ninth in pressure percentage when he played. Right. I go back and watch a tape.

He's still got it. He's got a quick first step. He's still strong. He's still physical. He is still master's level pass rusher, right? Some of these guys are playing checkers. He's playing chess. But what I want to make sure, medical's check out, you bring him in on the free agent visit.

Everything looks good. You say his hip's okay? This guy can still play some ball. Give him a look. you know, Trey Hendrickson, I think you would fit Dennis Allen, a guy that you can get passers from, without having to trade for Max Crosby.

I've even seen people saying trade for Miles Garrett, yeah, good luck, you know, without having to give up your entire roster. Josh Giddy, modest, Prisela, all those guys. The Bulls players. So you wouldn't have to give anything up. And I am, I told you I watched some tape and some edge rushers. Addafe Owe is a little homework for you

listeners out there if you want to see an edge rusher. Just type in his highlight if you want to. I wouldn't watch the game against the Patriots is another guy I could see them signing big defensive event, Ed Rusher Marshall and Grody, give me your thoughts on Trey Hendrickson. I like the one part that I really, I mean,

it's, you know, Tray Hendrickson is terrific. I like the part where you said make sure this man is totally and completely healthy and that I'm sure there are ways of projecting such things in terms of the health, the history, all of that because what goes through my head at the age of

32 is another guy, and different scenario, all that kind of stuff. Jared Allen, once upon a time, came to the Chicago Bears at the end of his career from Minnesota. I don't think he had been as successful in the previous seasons, taking into account that Trey Hendrickson only had seven starts last year for sacks over that, but the back-to-back 17-half game sacks as well. So with that all said, and if it checks out, and if he is, as you said, from watching

the film, that he's a real one, I'm down with it. So my question, to your question, or your statement, I guess, is how much you want to pay this guy? Because he just made $29 million last year. How much would you be willing to pay Trey Hendrickson going into his age 32 season? Here's the problem with that is you already invested a ton into your defensive line, right? So it is difficult for whoever you want to bring in. People are saying Max Crosby, even Trey, even Adafay-O-Way. Maybe the problem solved here is you have to draft a young guy, a cost-controlled guy,

because DiO Dangbo, even though it's two sacks or one sack and two TFLs all last year and eight games, didn't really pan out for you. Grady Jarrett, you know, you can't really do much with that contract. He's still there. Hopefully he gets healthier. Shemar Turner, young draft pick. You hope he pans out. Maybe you just try to develop these guys.

You hope these guys get better. What I saw is I think you have to add to that defensive line. if you want to take another step. Those guys aren't talented enough. Dio couldn't cut it from you. Shemar Turner can get better. He's young. Grady Jarrett just seemed a little off near the end of the season.

I thought he looked good in camp. Maybe he can come back, but he is getting up there. So I think it's worth it, and that's why I said, I prefaced it with, you know, cut Tremaine Edmonds. You need to get that cash flowing somewhere. And then trading DJ. You know, obviously bring in another receiver, but he's the highest paid player on the team.

Get that off your books. and you can bring in a guy like Trey Hendrickson, where I think that is a bigger need position. When you look at the teams in the conference championship game, all of them are top 10 in pressure rate. You're really okay with clearing the money via those first two players in DJ Moore and Tremaine Edmonds just to be able to invest more in your defensive line

and to have Montes Sweat getting paid on one side and Trey Hendrickson on the other. I think for Tremade Edmins, I think if you can get rid of Tremaine Edmins, you can bring another linebacker that can do what he does for a third of the price probably, half the price. You know, some of the average linebacker, which I think Tramaine is, solid NFL player. And then you can invest that money, restructure something else,

and then bring in an edge rusher, Addafe O'O.A. Tray Hendrickson. I think you really do need an edge rusher. If you're dent in the pocket for the middle and you can find, if Grady Jarrett, you think he's going to come back and be your guy to get pressure, Jervon Dexter, I don't know if I'm seeing it. Then that's cool too. But with DJ, I think there's just so much money. there for a guy that might not be a top three option for your team, you can invest in a left

tackle even. You got a left tackle and edge rusher. To me, those are the two most important positions on your team right now. We only got a couple of minutes left with you. You did, as you said your words, you had a cup of espresso with the New England Patriots and one of your stops along the way in your NFL journey. So I have to ask you about Bill Belichick and not becoming a first ballot Hall of Famer. I think it's unfortunate because only one coach can get elected to the Hall of Fame per year. So now you're pushing the line back even further. And obviously these guys had a bone to pick with Bill Belichick.

Nobody thinks that this guy, Don Shul is the only coach in NFL history that has more wins than him. Eight Super Bowl wins, six is a head coach. I mean, just being in the room with Bill, the way he handled things, how professionally was, how he handled each player the same. and for me to be complimenting this guy, this guy cut me. I play six games there. I got cut from Bill. And I still have so much respect for him as a coach, his system, how he handle everything.

No question this guy deserves to be a first bout Hall of Fame. I don't care if he's dating a 25-year-old or he can't win in North Carolina or what else is going on. That's a big win. Big W for him, yeah. But get this guy in the Hall of Fame, please. Who were the starting tight ends for the Patriots in that year in which he? were cut. Yeah, Rob Grancowski,

Martellus Bennett. We drafted a guy, AJ Derby. And my agent goes, when I went there real quick, he's like, he's like, you know,

they got Gronk and Martellus Bennett. You know, when you're a tight end, when you're in the NFL, you look in the mirror, what do you see? You see the best player. You know, I'm not thinking,

I'm not worried. I don't care. If I say healthy, I'm going to beat Martell's Bennett out. I'm going to beat these guys. That's how you feel. That's how you think. That's how you're able to last.

Obviously, I'm not saying this is all correct. but I'm saying you have to have that mindset, you know, just to even be competitive. The next shot is going in. The next shot is going in. I don't care. The next shot is going in. Yeah, I'm good with going to the Patriots.

Who's Martell's Bennett? Who's the guy they just drafted in the third round? Like, get me on the field. The third round is telling. That's Martel's Bennett. That guy's not missing the team. Martel's Bennett had a heck of a year with the Patriots. He won a Super Bowl that year.

That year was on the team. They won the Super Bowl. That was a year they were down 28 to 3. I was there for six games. ATL, right? Against Atlanta. I did get to double dip, and I made all their playoff checks because I played at least five games. Oh, that's key, man.

That's a little bit of a... I'm so glad I know time to get into this, but I love that you brought that part up. There's so much that goes on in a locker room with players and the death players that you're not even thinking about. And it's money and playoff share. And who should, like, in being part of this with the Cubs for three years. It's like, that guy got cut. Does he still get a playoff share? That's a big deal to players, right?

I'm over here at a bar in Chicago. in Old Town benchmark watching the Super Bowl 20 to 3. And I'm yelling, yeah, we won. Everybody's like, dude, they cut you. Why are you excited? I go, trust me, I have a reason. We get paid double if you win the Super Bowl versus if you lose. It's a whole undercurrents with athletes, man.

And I love it. I think you guys should get every penny. Clay, thank you, man. My pleasure. Appreciate you guys having me on. And, you know, stay warm out here, out here, fellas. I've raised you well, Clay. You're doing a tremendous job.

Did you success, sir. Keep up the dry January, even though some people think that you started drinking again because the DJ Moore comment. My text said that. Yeah, I like that. You said it. You were a little tick. I was like, no, that's funny, man. That is funny.

Yeah, that's funny. Well, sometimes we have to give it to our list. Sometimes you get us. Sometimes you get us. When we come back, we are going to talk to Ben Verlander, Major League Baseball analyst. He is the host of the flipping bats podcast. Yes, of the famous Verlander family as well. We'll talk Cubs and socks and expand a little bit with him next here.

Rahimi Harrison Grotie on the score.