The Cincinnati Bengals retained two of their three star players with late Sunday evening Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase extensions. Chase got $161 million while Higgins got $115 million, both with four years tacked onto their deals. That spelled the end of Trey Hendrickson’s time with the Bengals, right? Apparently not, as The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz are reporting they now have their sights set on extending Hendrickson.
Hendrickson requested a trade earlier in the offseason and the Bengals granted him permission to seek a partner. Various reports have since surfaced of interest from teams but the Bengals potentially asking for way too rich of a return for the 2024 NFL sack leader.
Joe Burrow has publicly campaigned for the Bengals to retain Chase, Higgins, Hendrickson, and Gesicki. Three of the four are now extended and the Bengals are apparently working to seal the deal on the fourth.
One former NFL GM warned that the Bengals should be very careful how they approach free agency with concerns over Burrow’s mindset if they let two or three of those guys walk. They may have heeded that warning. If they extend Hendrickson, they would be going all in on this current window with astronomical amounts of cap space and cash flying out the door.
Is that wise for the Bengals, who missed the playoffs last year due to a very poor defense? Sam Hubbard has since retired and the Bengals have quite a few holes to plug on defense still. With the 17th pick in the draft, the Bengals should be able to get an impact linebacker, safety or defensive lineman.
Will the Steelers get beat to the punch of a T.J. Watt extension once again? They have already watched Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett get lucrative new deals, driving up Watt’s price. Hendrickson could end up being the latest to solidify Watt’s price tag as being one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in NFL history.
