It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything significant regarding the ongoing standoff between the Cincinnati Bengals and defensive end Trey Hendrickson. You may have heard that they haven’t gotten along well lately.
There hasn’t been much movement on the contract front since Hendrickson ended his holdout to become a hold-in. He returned to camp, but he’s not doing much else.
Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin went on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week and sounded like someone with no pull, even though his title would suggest otherwise.
Duke Tobin says that Hendrickson loves football
If the hosts were hoping for Tobin to break some news and give some insight on the Hendrickson contract impasse, they were extremely disappointed. Tobin sounds like he just wants everyone to play well and have fun.
“I got a ton of respect for Trey,” Tobin said. “Trey’s a fierce player. That’s what we look for — we don’t want guys that are on the periphery. We want guys that are in the mix, he’s in the mix. I know he loves football. I know he loves the camaraderie in football, the preparation in football, the practice in football.
“So all those things, I know he loves, and I’ve got so much regard and respect. And hopefully, we can get this thing going to where he’s active and up and running and helping the Cincinnati Bengals and his teammates win games. And he can help.”
Thanks, Duke, now any information on the contract front? It honestly sounds like he gives his opinion to ownership when asked and then just waits to be told what to do. In fairness to Duke, it must be extremely frustrating having your job tied to the Brown’s purse strings. Because if the defense stinks and the team is bad, it won’t be Mike Brown firing himself.
Former Bengals Hall of Famer wants Hendrickson signed
There is no shortage of former Bengals willing to weigh in on the Hendrickson situation. This week, Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz joined the chorus of those who want last year’s NFL sack leader signed.
“I think you have to sign him,” Munoz said Wednesday. “You have a proven chaotic, chaos, disturber in the backfield with all those sacks. We don’t have one of those guys right now. At least none of the guys have proven to do that, so we need to sign Trey, get him in there, and get him ready to go up by the lake for the first game (at Cleveland).
“And I was going to say, get after the quarterback. I don’t know who they’re going to have as a quarterback. They got five or six up in Cleveland, but I think you need to sign. I think you need to sign Trey.”
Chad Johnson understands ownership, but wants Trey signed
Chad Johnson was drafted by the Bengals in 2001 and was with the team until 2010. In short, he knows the Brown family well.
“One thing I know about the Brown family — you’re not going to bully Mike Brown,” Johnson said a couple of weeks ago. “It’s not happening. If his feet are cemented and he says, ‘This is what we can do, and this is what we can pay,’ that’s what it’s going to be. You know?
“And I’m hoping, I’m hoping, because defensively we need all hands on deck. We need all the help we can get. Trey Hendrickson had a hell of a year last year and the year before. I would love for him to be compensated as such.”
Notice that Johnson says “Mike Brown,” not “Duke Tobin” or anyone else. It sounds like Tobin is just there to pitch in when he can, but this dispute is going to have to be settled by Hendrickson and Brown.
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