The Cincinnati Bengals are steamrolling towards Week 1 of the NFL season and fingers are crossed super hard that they don’t pull an 0-2 or 1-3 out of their magic bag of tricks. They will have to improve this woebegone (I’m running out of synonyms for “bad” to describe it) defense if they hope to get off on the right foot, but they will probably need defensive end Trey Hendrickson to do that.
So, will Hendrickson come back for Week 1? He’s currently a hold in, but says he won’t play under his current $16 million contract. Is he willing to lose money and miss games? Could his post on Instagram over the weekend could be an indicator that he plans to play?
Hendrickson posted a picture with the caption: “Proverbs 21:31.”
The bible verse says: “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.”
Some think that could be a hint that he’ll be returning to the field, but I know nothing about reading scripture and thusly have no clue what that means. To me it sounds like a reach.
But, Russ Heltman of Sports Illustrated thinks he might know.
“Maybe the day of contract “victory” and a return ot the field is approaching as Cincinnati sits exactly two weeks away from kicking off its 2025 season against the Cleveland Browns,” Heltman writes.
Like I said, sounds like a stretch.
Al Golden says Trey Hendrickson has been great…repeatedly
On Friday, Bengals defensive coordinator was asked about Hendrickson for the 2,824th time this offseason. But, what can he really say? He runs the defense and he’s got two arms tied behind his back as he works with a pitiful unit sans its best player.
“He’s been great. He really has,” Golden said Friday. “It’s part of our business so it’s always difficult for coaches to talk about it because obviously we’re supportive of both sides, but they have to obviously come to a conclusion but he has done everything we’ve asked and more, and he doesn’t want to be a distraction.
“I know that’s important to him, and he hasn’t been, and we’re very appreciative that he’s given us this opportunity to work without that and I’m grateful personally.”
So, does that mean he’ll be ending his hold in?
“Trey’s been great. Trey’s been a leader,” Golden continued. “Trey’s been unselfish through this whole time. He’s communicating with everybody and is really trying to be a role model for the young guys and give everything he can in terms of teaching them. He’s been great. It’s part of the business. It’s unfortunate. I’d love the opportunity to coach him, obviously, so we’ll see how it plays out. That side of it is an unfortunate part of the business.”
So, does that mean he’ll be ending his hold in? Is this a blindfold and darts situation?
It doesn’t sound like much has changed between Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals
Does Hendrickson’s social media post indicate that he’s ready to come back and join his teammates for the start of the year? I don’t think that it says much of anything. One could surmise that it’s a clue, but you’d probably have to be diehard Who Dey Nation for that.
Even when Hendrickson returned from Florida to begin the hold in, he didn’t sound like there was any movement on the contract.
“Nothing’s really changed. Things are exactly the same,” Hendrickson said last month. “Not only have I mentioned it multiple times this offseason, but also ownership has as well—our plans are not having to play on the current deal. That’s something we have a common goal to get to. That’s the plan moving forward. No distractions. I am excited to be here. I think it’s great seeing the brotherhood that’s in here.”
Hendrickson seems exhausted and who wouldn’t be? The Bengals will continue to screw this up and there is no reason to believe otherwise. This team can’t even handle inviting alumni to a Ring of Honor ceremony.
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