The ongoing Jaire Alexander saga is tediously dramatic, but it feels like a summer stroll along Bay Beach compared to the Trey Hendrickson mess in Cincinnati. The Green Bay Packers should harness the chaos as storm clouds gather over The Queen City.
Head coach Matt LaFleur used his coachspeak superpower to send a subtle — or not-so-subtle — message to the Packers' front office.
Appearing on the Up & Adams show, host Kay Adams asked LaFleur whether he was open to adding another pass-rusher.
"Kay, if it's up to me, we're never turning down great players. I'll be up there and talking to Gutey and Russ," said LaFleur. "Do whatever you've gotta do to bring as many good players in as possible. I know one thing: great players make great coaches."
It sounds like classic coachspeak. But not entirely. LaFleur could've played it down and expressed confidence in his roster, but he swung the door wide open.
Adams responded by saying, "Sack leaders are great players," a clear reference to Hendrickson, the reigning NFL sack champion, to which LaFleur responded: "No doubt."
Maybe he didn't get the Hendrickson reference and took it as a generic line from Adams, but that might not be giving LaFleur enough credit. Everyone knows Hendrickson led the league in sacks, especially with the All-Pro publicly airing the Bengals' dirty laundry.
Packers should grant Matt LaFleur's request and make a trade for Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson has made his stance crystal clear. And the worst part? The Bengals drafted Shemar Stewart to replace him, and now he's holding out over a contract dispute. You can't make this up.
Let Operation: Save Trey Hendrickson commence.
Despite drafting Day 3 pass-rushers Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver, the Packers still lack a true game-wrecker off the edge. Perhaps Rashan Gary finally reaches stardom, or Lukas Van Ness remembers he was a first-round pick, but that's a roll of the dice the Packers shouldn't take in a season with Super Bowl ambitions.
Hendrickson, fresh off back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons, would give the NFC North sleepless nights.
Brian Gutekunst used buzzwords like urgency and said the Packers should compete to win championships. It's time to turn ambitions into actions, and landing Hendrickson would place a bow on an offseason body of work that leaves this team primed to win it all.
LaFleur never named him, nor should he. He packaged just enough coachspeak while leaving the door wide open. The Packers' coach subtly sent a message to Gutekunst, and we heard it loud and clear.