The Cincinnati Bengals‘ issues with defensive end Trey Hendrickson are well documented. The 30-year old is on the last year of his contract and is set to make around $16 million this year. He’s been holding out and has said that he’s willing to sit out until he gets a new deal or gets traded.
Meanwhile in Dallas, Micah Parsons is coming up on the fifth-year option on his contract and is set to make $24 million this season. As has been widely reported, he’s not happy about that. Parsons has been trying to get an extension since last year and the Cowboys have been dragging their feet because…it’s what they do? They took their time and waited on quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and now they are doing the same with Parsons.
It’s not smart and it will cost them more money. Just like it’s going to cost the Bengals the longer they wait to sign Hendrickson – especially when Parsons gets his mega deal, which is expected to set he market for non-quarterbacks.
For what it’s worth, Parsons says it just makes him put his nose to the grindstone.
“I just work harder,” Parsons said Tuesday via PennLive.com. “Like, to me, I look at it like if people don’t see your value, you don’t cry and sit down. You just work harder. You got to show people your value. I just think that’s, the difference, Like I go, okay, bet, and I just work.”
Both Parsons and Hendrickson are watching the edge-rusher market
The going rate for a high-level edge rusher in the NFL currently starts at around $35 million per year. The Cleveland Browns‘ Myles Garrett – of course – leads the league at about $40 million per season, and Parsons is much more likely to surpass that than Hendrickson. It seems like Hendrickson would probably be looking more at Danielle Hunter ($35.6 million) or Maxx Crosby ($35.5 million) money.
But, Parsons was asked if he’s monitoring Garrett’s deal (hint: yes he absolutely is).
“No, because they numbers got nothing to do with mine, and my numbers ain’t got nothing to do with them,” Parsons said about keeping an eye on the market. “Like, I’m younger than Hendrickson. I mean, Hutchinson’s coming off an injury. Everyone’s circumstances is completely different. Hutch is coming off his third year. Usually guys wait four years. So, it just all depends, Watt. I mean, he’s up there with Myles (Garrett). So, you know, it’s different. Everyone’s circumstance is different.”
The Bengals better be paying attention
One would think that the Bengals would be watching the landscape for edge-rusher compensation closely, and maybe they are. But, the way they do business, that might not be necessarily be the case. Why wouldn’t they offer Hendrickson something in the mid-$30 million’s? Is it contract length? Are they trying to use we’ve-never-done-this-before-type verbiage like they are doing with rookie Shemar Stewart?
Who knows, but whatever is causing the holdup, Hendrickson’s price is just going to go up. The same can be said for Parsons, who is breaking Jerry Jones’ bank more and more with each passing day.
“Not really, because I’m just going to get mine no matter what,” Parsons said about Garrett’s contract affecting him. “You know what I mean? Like, the markets change every year. Their salary cap went up, like, another 18% this year. So, it really, like, if you want to know contracts, like, all the contracts are based off of percentage. Like, each player, high-paid player, takes a percentage of the salary cap. So, it’s not really the number. It goes off by the salary cap.”
If the Cowboys and Bengals intend on keeping these guys and giving them fair market contracts, it doesn’t make a lick of sense to wait.
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