Cincinnati Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson is feeling disrespected by the team, and it’s not hard to see why. After leading the league in sacks and consistently producing, he wants a new contract. Instead, as he told ESPN yesterday, the team isn’t even communicating with him. Some unfortunately chosen words by the team’s vice president surely didn’t help make him feel any better, either.
“No communication has taken place between my camp and the organization post draft. The offers prior to the draft did not reflect the vision we shared and were promised last offseason if I continued to play at a high level”, Trey Hendrickson said, in part, about his standoff with the Bengals. He added that “THEY are no longer communicating, citing an “evident lack of interest”.
The emphasis is also significant in light of comments made by Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn. Earlier this offseason, she tried to put it all in Hendrickson’s lap. “I think he should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn’t think he’d be happy at”, she said in April. “I think some of it is on him to be happy at some point, and if he’s not, that’s what holds it up sometimes. It takes him to say yes to something”.
But if he doesn’t have anything to say yes to, then…he can’t say yes. Trey Hendrickson is scheduled to earn under $16 million for the 2025 season, which is well below market value. He has recorded 35 sacks over the past two seasons, the most in the NFL, along with 35 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles.
Yet he ranks outside the top 10 in edge rusher contracts, currently completing a deal worth $21 million APY. Among those ahead of the Bengals’ star pass rusher are Andrew Van Ginkel, Rashan Gary, and Montez Sweat.
While one can make the case that his production has outperformed his talent, Trey Hendrickson is clearly a top pass rusher in the NFL. The Bengals did select Shemar Stewart in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft—and then went radio silence.
Right now, their priority, is actually Stewart’s contract. In an unusual move, the rookie has opted not to practice until he has a finished contract. Nearly all rookies in such situations still practice while having protections against injury. The Bengals reportedly were not offering as much as last year’s 17th-overall pick in training camp bonus money.
But the Bengals resolving that doesn’t guarantee they will turn their focus to Trey Hendrickson. One wonders where this goes. Earlier this offseason, Hendrickson already requested permission to see a trade. The Bengals granted him that permission, but would they be willing to deal him?
