Trey Hendrickson has made one thing very clear this offseason: he’s done playing nice! “It’s become personal, unfortunately,” he said in May, pulling back the curtain on a tense standoff with the Bengals. After piling up 35 sacks over the past two seasons, Hendrickson’s been watching Cincy throw historic money at its wide receiver room while his contract talks stay frozen. “If I sat here with four sacks, they’d want a pay cut and some money back,” he added. No deal. No football. And now, no minicamp either, he didn’t show up on Tuesday, which means fines are on the way.
It’s not that Hendrickson is asking for Nick Bosa money. But he’s 30, highly productive, and running out of time to cash in again. Still, the Bengals seem unmoved. There’s been no progress. He’s out of patience. With OTA season heating up and teams always hunting edge rushers, Hendrickson should be a hot name on trade boards. Well, the hottest name on the board was the Philadelphia Eagles. Until Adam Schefter all but slammed the door shut on that idea this week.
“I don’t think that’s practical,” he said when asked about Philly making a move. “They know all the big deals they have coming up… I just don’t see a move like that in the cards.” The Eagles aren’t trying to rip apart their locker room balance. And shelling out $30 million a year for a 30-something pass rusher would do just that. Even for a guy like Hendrickson, who’s still wrecking games.
“I don’t think so, I would say, no. I don’t think that’s practical… Knowing what I know from the past – conversations with various people at various points in the offseason – I would say, no, I don’t see something like that happening.
I think they know all the big deals they… pic.twitter.com/9AnLa1Xnqo
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) June 11, 2025
However, this isn’t just a money thing. It’s about culture and timing. As Schefty puts it, “I think their priority is to pay their own people – their homegrown talent – and reward it over time. And if you go trade for a player like Trey Hendrickson and pay him upwards of $30+ million a year, that really is disruptive to everything going on.”
Then, there’s the whole cap space discussion. According to Over The Cap, the Eagles have about $27 million available. But that’s before factoring in Bryce Huff’s trade resolution and Brandon Graham’s cap ripple. Hendrickson, meanwhile, is reportedly seeking a two-year, $76 million extension. Do the math.
So while the fanbase might dream up a defensive line headlined by Jalen Carter and Hendrickson, Nick Sirianni and Howie Roseman are living in the real world. One where chemistry, cap discipline, and long-term planning still come before the flashy trade. Hendrickson will get paid. It just won’t be in Philly.
Joe Burrow clears his stance on the Trey Hendrickson saga
Last season, when Trey Hendrickson nearly called it quits, it was Joe Burrow who made sure the band stuck together. The Bengals QB didn’t just offer support; he vouched for Hendrickson and Tee Higgins like a captain should. “Both those guys [Higgins and Trey] have earned everything that has come to them and more. I’ll support them all the way through it,” Burrow had said. Hendrickson stayed. He delivered. He terrorized QBs like usual. And he led the league in sacks.
But this time, the vibe feels different. Hendrickson’s officially holding out. Well, he did keep his word and dragged it for a year because of Joe. But not anymore. His numbers still jump off the page—46 total tackles, 17.5 sacks, fourth straight Pro Bowl. And yet, the Bengals don’t seem too interested in meeting him anywhere near the Maxx Crosby or Nick Bosa pay tier. With $16 million left on his current deal, and the birthday candles about to hit 31 in December, Cincinnati appears to be eyeing a younger, cheaper direction under new DC Al Golden.
So, where does Burrow stand now? “We’re all supporting Trey,” he told reporters Tuesday, after Hendrickson skipped mandatory minicamp. But then came the line that stuck: “I don’t know what’s going to happen.” For a player who’s usually precise, Burrow’s uncertainty says plenty. “It’s not one that I think would make us a better team, so we’ll see what ends up happening.”
The Bengals got Higgins locked in. They gave Ja’Marr Chase the league’s biggest non-QB deal. But Trey? No traction. No optimism. And based on Hendrickson’s last comments—laced with frustration—there might not be a middle ground coming. Burrow’s backing remains. But even that might not be enough to keep No. 91 in Cincinnati.
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