Subscribe
Follow Us
The Cincinnati Bengals have actually done it. Unable to reach a deal with star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, the front office has opened its lines to anyone willing to trade for the star. While they are willing to trade Hendrickson, the Bengals' demands are… quite high, to say the least.
On Sunday, it was reported that the Bengals were not only looking for draft capital as compensation but also a player. In the NFL, that's already a high price.
Now, there are more detailed reports of what Cincinnati wants for Hendrickson. Their demands include a young defensive player and a first-round pick in next year's draft. The defender in question reportedly doesn't have to be a pass rusher like Hendrickson.
“Teams that have recently inquired about Bengals star Trey Hendrickson were told Cincinnati’s asking price included a young defensive player and a 2026 first-round pick, according to league sources,” Diana Russini reports.
These demands have raised a ton of eyebrows across the league. Albert Breer notes that “It seems pretty unlikely a team will give up picks, a player AND the contract Hendrickson wants,” while also pointing out that this saga will only end in the Bengals pass-rusher getting his new contract, whether it's with Cincinnati or on a different team.
That's a steep price to pay for a star, even with Hendrickson's performance in the last two years. The star edge rusher finished the 2024 season as the league leader in sacks with 17.5. The Bengals star had the same number of sacks in the 2023 season, proving that he's one of the best defensive players in the league today.
The Bengals have, at the very least, resolved the situation with their rookie pass rusher Shemar Stewart, so they have some help on the pass-rush end.
Still, Hendrickson will be a major loss for Cincinnati should they choose to trade the star. His ability to pressure the quarterback was the only thing keeping the Bengals defense from collapsing last season.
