Veteran NFL Analyst Explains Why Maxx Crosby Is a Better Player Than Trey Hendrickson

The Baltimore Ravens eventually found their edge rusher this offseason, but it wasn’t their first choice. Earlier in the offseason, Baltimore made a strong push to acquire Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders. That attempt ultimately failed as Crosby shockingly failed his physical in Baltimore after the two sides agreed to trade two first-round picks.

With the deal collapsing, the Ravens pivoted quickly and signed Trey Hendrickson to a four-year, $112 million contract, securing one of the league’s most productive pass rushers.

The turn of events has since been debated, with some even criticizing the Ravens for deliberately failing Crosby. Regardless, the general consensus is that Baltimore has come out as the winner, as Hendrickson remains a stellar replacement. But according to veteran NFL analyst Greg Cosell, the two players are not quite equal.

Speaking on The Ross Tucker podcast while evaluating both defenders on film, Cosell acknowledged the former Bengals star’s pass-rushing ability but ultimately argued that Maxx Crosby is the more complete defensive player. “My sense is that Crosby is a more complete player… I think that Hendrickson is a really, really good pass rusher,” he began.

Cosell explained that Hendrickson’s success largely comes from his refined technique as a pass rusher. “I think he’s mastered the ability to use the speed to power concept, the ability to play off contact and use his hands really effectively,” the veteran analyst noted.

There is merit to the analyst’s claim. Since 2019, the former Bengals DE has recorded an incredible tally of 79.5 sacks, outpacing Maxx Crosby’s 69.5 sacks during the same period. Notably, Hendrickson also holds a higher career pressure rate of 12.3%, compared to Crosby’s 10.4%.

Still, Cosell believes the conversation changes when evaluating the broader responsibilities of a defensive end. “So Hendrickson is a really good pass rusher. But my sense watching tape and watching Crosby for a number of years now is as an overall player, run defender, pass rusher, that he’s just a more complete player,” he said.

This difference becomes distinct when one compares the two defenders purely on their run game. Since 2020, Maxx Crosby has logged 5423 defensive snaps, significantly more than Hendrickson’s 3595 snaps.

The same dominance can be seen in Crosby’s production against the run as well. In the 2025 season alone, the Raiders icon recorded 73 total tackles. Hendrickson, on the other hand, finished the year with a meagre 11 total tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.

Cosell added nuance to this difference by pointing out how Hendrickson’s role has leaned heavily toward pass-rushing situations rather than full defensive workloads since his Bengals days. “Now, the Ravens, I’m sure, are looking for an edge pass rusher, and Hendrickson, assuming health, can certainly fill that role,” Cosell said.

That said, talking about health, ironically enough, Crosby emerges as the winner here as well. Despite both players entering the 2026 season recovering from surgery, Maxx with his torn meniscus and Trey with his hip and pelvis injury, it is Crosby who managed to play more games (15) than Hendrickson (7) in 2025.

Hence, the veteran analyst ultimately framed the comparison in simple terms. “But I think if you’re just equating player to player, my feeling is that Crosby is a more complete player,” he proclaimed.

All in all, the Ravens have secured a dangerous pass rusher in Hendrickson, but in Cosell’s eyes, the player they originally pursued still sets the standard for the position. This angle makes the Ravens’ initial plan even scarier, where they wanted to pair both Hendrickson and Crosby together till the latter’s deal fell through. Safe to say, rival fans must be thanking their stars.