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The Cincinnati Bengals still have a lot of time to potentially work on a Trey Hendrickson extension, but the signs are not looking good.
Months after requesting a trade for the second straight offseason, Hendrickson ripped the Bengals for not reaching out to him after the 2025 NFL Draft. The star defensive end said he feels that the lack of communication is “personal,” per ESPN.
With the animosity between the two sides going back to the 2024 offseason, it is unsurprising to see the relationship take a downturn. Hendrickson claims he does not want a contract equal to that of Myles Garrett or Maxx Crosby, but still does not believe the Bengals have given him his worth.
The 30-year-old is coming off consecutive 17.5-sack seasons, making his 35 sacks in the last two years the most of any player in the NFL. He led the league in sacks in 2024, giving him his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl recognition and his first All-Pro nod.
Hendrickson went as far as claiming that he would hold out through training camp until he got a new deal. He made similar threats in the 2024 offseason before agreeing to a one-year, $21 million extension.
Bengals continue to put Trey Hendrickson extension on hold
Since their Super Bowl appearance in 2021, the Bengals have dealt with more contract turmoil than any team in the league. From Joe Burrow to Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Hendrickson, Cincinnati continues to make extending its stars a bigger deal than it can be.
Extending Burrow was a fairly simple task, but the Bengals have jockeyed with Chase, Higgins and Hendrickson for multiple offseasons. However, they gave both star wideouts lucrative extensions in March, leaving Hendrickson as their only liability.
Higgins needed to hold out for most of the 2024 offseason before finally getting his wish, but Hendrickson's process continues to drag along. Now, Hendrickson appears ready to follow Higgins' actions with his patience fully gone.
Should the Hendrickson saga end with a trade, he would be the second major defensive asset the team has lost in the last two years. During Cincinnati's Higgins and Chase debacles, the front office let safety Jessie Bates III slip through its fingers, a move they would grow to regret. An extension appears likely for the time being, but Hendrickson's tolerance with the organization is quickly thinning out.
