The Cincinnati Bengals have a tough matchup against the Tennessee Titans on Saturday, especially considering Derrick Henry will be making his long-awaited return to the gridiron. Well, the Titans aren't the only side getting a boost ahead of the matchup. After Trey Hendrickson went down injured in the Bengals' playoff-opener against the Raiders, it looks as if the star defensive end is making significant strides towards returning for the Divisional Round. Via Kelsey Conway, Hendrickson was a full participant in the Bengals' practice on Wednesday.

This is big news for Cincy, especially considering the Bengals' star was a limited participant during Tuesday's session. The upgraded status certainly bodes well for his availability on Saturday, and he'll be relied upon heavily to disturb Ryan Tannehill and slow down Henry.

Hendrickson is the leader of the Bengals' defense, and arguably its best player. He recorded 14.0 sacks this year, alongside 34 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and 27 QB hits. That type of production is simply not possible to replace, so having him back for the critical game will certainly make Bengals fans feel more confident about the defense heading into the Divisional Round.

 

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Hendrickson had been in concussion protocol after exiting the Wild Card game vs the Raiders with a head injury. Via Paul Dehner Jr., head coach Zac Taylor revealed that Hendrickson was progressing well through the NFL's protocols, another positive outlook on his status for the weekend.

The Bengals will likely provide further updates on Hendrickson's status in the coming days, but all signs point to a return to action for the 27-year-old.