“I’m excited to be a Bengal.” That’s how Trey Hendrickson described his mindset, even though Cincy’s not budged from its stance on the contract. “They have not communicated with my agent directly. It’s been something that’s been a little bit frustrating, but again, this is the business of it,” he admitted while adding, “I’m incredibly blessed to be in the NFL.” But behind the scenes, frustration is brewing. As other stars receive their new deal and celebrate, Hendrickson’s value seems lost on the very people who write the checks. The message from the front office? Production isn’t always power. While Cincinnati hesitates, the rest of the league seems to have no trouble recognizing Hendrickson’s worth.
Trey is now ranked sixth among NFL edge rushers, climbing three spots from last year in ESPN’s annual survey. The top three names: Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt, and Micah Parsons… Well, you can read the room. Myles got his contract after threatening to leave Cleveland. Now, he’s the one with the highest-paid non-QB contract. Now, Micah wants that from Jerry Jones in Dallas. And Hendrickson? He’s just tired of the 2024 re-run.
As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported, one AFC scout put it plainly: “His ability to get to the quarterback by any means necessary is truly impressive.” Hendrickson helped Cincinnati break a nine-year drought of not having an All-Pro selection, but it still hasn’t translated to financial security. Inside, the building’s response has been far quieter. “He’s probably taken for granted a little bit,” another evaluator said, offering a sentiment that now feels like more than just a guess.
The Bengals aren’t blind to Hendrickson’s value, but their decisions raise questions. This offseason, Cincinnati handed out major deals to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, while Hendrickson, who accounted for 49% of the team’s sack production and 32.2% of its total pressures, was left without an extension. “My mindset is to win a Super Bowl, and I think we’ve got the quarterback and the pieces to do it,” Hendrickson said. “I want to be here a long time. I want to win football games, and I want to bring a Super Bowl to Cincinnati.”
CINCINNATI, OH – NOVEMBER 12: Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson 91 limps off the field after the game against the Houston Texans and the Cincinnati Bengals on November 12, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA NOV 12 Texans at Bengals EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon231112031
He’s 30, and that age is clearly shaping the Bengals’ risk calculations. But Trey doesn’t want to be a part of yearly negotiations. He wants long-term security, and he has the production and leverage to demand it. In 2024, he racked up 17.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 24 quarterback hits, making it his most dominant season yet and one of the best among all edge rushers.
But despite resumed communication, “talks are not any further along,” Fowler noted on ESPN. Hendrickson admitted, “We’ve tried to keep it as least amount as personal as possible, but at some point in this process, it becomes personal.” The standoff has reached the point where he’s had to consider telling his wife and family things he hoped never to say: “Former players have walked in these shoes and what it foreshadows is not something I’m excited about… I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that.”
What happens next may depend more on timing than numbers. If this continues into late August, a trade becomes a real—though risky—possibility. No one inside the organization wants to lose Hendrickson. But they also haven’t shown a willingness to meet his number. Even quarterback Joe Burrow recognizes the weight of the situation. According to Fowler, Burrow “doesn’t blame people behind the scenes… he puts it all on his shoulders,” but he also acknowledges the obvious: this is a distraction. “Getting Hendrickson done is important.” Burrow has publicly spoken for Hendrickson, just as he did for Chase and Higgins. They paid the duo. Hendrickson, somehow, is still waiting.
Trey Hendrickson pushes back as Bengals repeat an old mistake
The Bengals have made an offer, just not the kind Hendrickson is likely to take. At $28 million per year, the proposed number might sound competitive on paper, but context tells a different story. Some rankings place Trey Hendrickson around eighth among edge rushers, behind names like Joey Bosa, Bradley Chubb, and Brian Burns. But over the past two seasons, Hendrickson has outproduced all three, posting 35 sacks to their combined 39. For a player who’s recorded more sacks than any edge rusher in the NFL over the past two seasons, that gap feels less like a compromise and more like a miscalculation. If it sounds familiar, it’s because the Bengals have played this game before
Trey Hendrickson might be walking a path already paved by another Bengals standout. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who went to Seattle in 2009, reflecting on his own exit, said it best: “I know when I left Bengals it was strictly a financial decision. I was getting frustrated, like, ‘are y’all really offering me this? I was underpaid the last 3 years.” His words echo through Hendrickson’s current silence. The Bengals eventually paid outsiders—”Laveranues Cole and Antonio Bryant $24 million in guaranteed money”—while letting their best player walk. “If they offered that to me? I would’ve walked from California to Cincinnati to sign that deal.” Right now, Hendrickson doesn’t want to walk—but history suggests he might have to.
The standoff isn’t about headline money. It’s about how the Bengals do business. Hendrickson wants real security, not just empty numbers. He has owned the position. Now he wants the contract to match—guarantees included. Cincinnati has a choice: stick to the script, or pay the price for playing it too safe
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