One NFL insider is anticipating the departure of star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson from the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason.
Hendrickson has represented the Bengals for five seasons, shining bright as one of the top edge rushers in the league. He was part of the team that made the Super Bowl in the 2021-22 campaign, where the Bengals lost to the Los Angeles Rams.
While Hendrickson continued putting up amazing numbers, the Bengals haven't been able to return to those heights. Injuries and inconsistent play have prevented them from getting back to the playoffs for three consecutive seasons.
NFL insider Dan Graziano appeared on ESPN's NFL Live show on Wednesday. It was there where he provided insight on Hendrickson's future with the franchise.
“If you're setting up for a trade, it's kind of hard to imagine a team wanting to trade something for a 31- to 32-year-old edge rusher on a franchise or transition tag number, given the depth we're seeing in the free agent market, in the draft this year at the edge position. So I think in the end, it's likely that they part ways, and Cincinnati knows it has to pretty much rebuild its entire defensive line and help on the back end as well, after the year they just had on defense,” Graziano said.
“It has been a nice ride. I would be very surprised if he was either tagged or if they came to terms with a new master deal with Trey Hendrickson. It's been a nice ride. Feel like this is a good time in the timeline, after what we went through last off season, maybe it's time for Trey to finish his career somewhere else,” another insider remarked on the panel.
Will Trey Hendrickson stay with the Bengals? 🐅
The NFL Live crew has their doubts 😬 pic.twitter.com/6uNw3qrrw7
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 25, 2026
What lies ahead for Trey Hendrickson, Bengals
Trey Hendrickson served his time well with the Bengals. However, it might be best to part ways if he and the front office don't come to an agreement on a new deal.
Hendrickson appeared in 72 regular-season games throughout his five years, making the Pro Bowl for four consecutive seasons from 2021 to 2024. He also won the Deacon Jones Award in 2024, given to the sacks leader every season, for making 17.5 sacks.
The Bengals will hope to end their playoff drought with Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase continuing to headline the franchise. Improving the defense will be a top priority this offseason.
