I
t has been a rough couple of weeks for the Cincinnati Bengals. While offseason workouts have continued, the team has been in contract standoffs with a couple of key players. But no contract negotiations in Cincinnati are going as bad as the one with star pass rusher, Trey Hendrickson. Making comments last week about the situation, Hendrickson revealed that he would not suit up for the Bengals this season without a new contract.
And now it looks like the franchise is making a strong push towards bringing Hendrickson back, reportedly offering him a contract worth $28 million per season. However, the sides still seem to be far apart in terms of agreeing to a new deal.
Bengals’ Offer to Hendrickson
Pro Football Talk insider, Mike Florio, was the first to report on the offer to Hendrickson, saying that the Bengals forwarded an initial offer to Hendrickson that officially began the negotiations. However, given how much other top edge rushers in the league are making– Maxx Crosby at $35.5 million and Myles Garrett at $40 million, Hendrickson and his representatives could try and ask for more.
“Hendrickson is due to make $16 million this year,” Florio said. “The Bengals, we’ve heard, have offered roughly $28 million per year. Whatever the amount (and, as importantly, the structure), he wants more. Hendrickson has real value, but he doesn’t have much leverage. His options are simple and few. One, take the team’s best offer on a new deal, two, play for $16 million and become a free agent in 2026 (unless they tag him). Three, hold out and hope the Bengals will cave.”
One of the best pass rushers in the league– coming off of two straight seasons of recording 17.5 sacks, Hendrickson certainly has leverage for a big contract but when you compare his career accolades to those of Crosby or Garrett, there is also an argument to be made that $28 million is more than a fair offer.
How Messy Could Things Get?
Already making his intentions clear, the Bengals will be without Hendrickson if they are unable to come to terms on a new contract. And without Hendrickson, the Bengals could be in serious trouble. While the offense was elite, with both Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase putting up MVP like numbers, the Bengals were in the bottom half of the league in scoring defense, allowing at least 30 points on seven different occasions. Even though this offseason saw the team make major upgrades to that side of the ball, Hendrickson was clearly the foundation of the defense.
But now, the team is facing a similar situation to what the Kansas City Chiefs had to deal with in the contract negotiation of Chris Jones back in 2023– when Jones missed the team’s Week One game against the Detroit Lions due to not having a new deal. The Bengals have been unable to replicate the success they found during their 2021 run to the Super Bowl, so agreeing to a contract as quickly as possible with a guy like Hendrickson could be in the best interest of the team.
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