The long offseason saga between Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals is finally coming to a close. While it looked like he was on the path to being traded, Tom Pelissero is now reporting that the two sides are closing in on a new deal.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, this is a $14 million raise this year, boosting his salary to $30 million. He will still become a free agent after this season with a chance to cash in one more time.
Hendrickson was given permission to seek a trade back in March as the two sides reached an impasse in contract negotiations. He held out from the beginning of training camp, but eventually returned while the Bengals were actively shopping trade offers.
They paid both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins big money, which many thought meant the end of Hendrickson’s time in Cincinnati. Joe Burrow and the WRs created a tight fit under the salary cap.
Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett, and then T.J. Watt reset the edge rusher market three times over this offseason. I am sure that complicated matters for the Bengals. But if the reported numbers hold up, his salary is quite a bit lower than the top of the market despite being the sack leader in 2024.
The $30 million figure for 2025 would place him sixth in the edge rusher market behind Watt ($41 million), Garrett ($40 million), Danielle Hunter ($35.6 million), Crosby ($35.5 million), and Nick Bosa ($34 million). It’s not a bad deal for the Bengals as they look to maximize their current window. Hendrickson is a key piece of a defense that can’t afford to take a step back after being one of the worst units in the league last season.
Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks last season with 17.5 and notched double-digit sacks in three out of the four seasons since arriving in Cincinnati back in 2021. This new deal was the last puzzle piece for the Bengals to go all-in on the 2025 season.
