The Ravens certainly lacked a defensive closer in 2025, too often relying on safety Kyle Hamilton to make incredible saves to save the team in key moments. Hamilton is back in 2026, but he’s no longer alone thanks to Hendrickson’s decision to leave Cincinnati for the AFC North rival Ravens.
Instead of worrying about game planning for Hendrickson, Minter is happy to use veterans against all opponents.
“He’s an extremely well-defined technical runner. So he uses his hands really, really well,” Minter explained of Hendrickson. “He can bend really well. He’s really good at seeing the rush and being able to do that. He can attack different tackles depending on how they line up, things like that.
“But man, [it’s] just the way he plays. He brings it every play. I think he did a great job of learning different strategies that maybe he hasn’t done before and playing the run and doing things like that. So I’m just really excited and really, really, really happy with Trey so far and I’m excited to have him on our side.”
Baltimore’s inability to finish in 2025 cost John Harbaugh his job and the Ravens a playoff spot. They’ll settle for nothing less in 2026, even factoring in rookie coach Minter’s status. The time is now to win, a reality underscored by additions like Hendrickson, who brings 85.5 career sacks with him to Charm City.
So far, Minter has risen to the challenge. He knows it’s tough to win consistently in the NFL, but with Hendrickson a key player in Minter’s defense, the coach likes their chances.