Trey Hendrickson is expected to play for the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday in Cleveland. The edge rusher was a full participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday after missing two games with a broken finger, and Jesse Minter said early in the week he expected Hendrickson back.
“I think Trey will be champing at the bit to be ready to roll this week,” Minter said Monday, according to the team.
Why Hendrickson matters against Watson
Baltimore needs him for one reason. Deshaun Watson is 2-0 against the Ravens as Cleveland’s starter, and he does his damage after the pocket breaks down. Watson ranks second in the NFL with 111 rushing yards when pressured, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
“He can do damage when he squirms out of there,” Nnamdi Madubuike said.
That’s the balance Baltimore has to strike. The Ravens have hit quarterbacks 55 times, fifth most in the league, and Hendrickson gives them a rusher who can finish. He signed a four-year, $112 million deal in March after leaving Cincinnati, then broke his finger in the opener against Indianapolis. He played two games with it protected before having a procedure Oct. 2, and he has one sack in three games. Minter called the procedure “very, very short term” when it happened.
Watson has been easy to get to. The Jets sacked him eight times in last week’s 17-12 loss, and he has thrown the ball away just three times all season, a costly habit for Cleveland. When he does escape, though, he keeps plays alive with his legs. He ran six times for 40 yards against New York.
His two wins over Baltimore show the danger. Watson beat the Ravens 13-3 in his home debut in 2022, then rallied Cleveland from 14 points down in the fourth quarter for a 33-31 win in Baltimore a year later.
Hendrickson’s return gives Minter more options at Huntington Bank Field. If Baltimore can keep its rush lanes and make Watson stay in the pocket, the 4-1 Ravens have a good chance to keep their hold on the AFC North.
