It doesn’t sound like a deal between the Cincinnati Bengals and All Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson is going to get done any time soon. Let’s be honest, if it was easy or a simple fix, it would have gotten done a long time ago (okay, that’s not exactly true because it’s the Bengals and they are heel diggers).
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Bengals have bent as far as they can go and they refuse to break.
“I’m told there actually has been some progress on this deal over the last week or two in certain parts of it, but this is an issue of guaranteed money,” Fowler reported on SportsCenter yesterday. “Hendrickson wants a stronger guaranteed structure, particularly later in what should be a multi-year deal.
“In talking to people with the Bengals they feel like, ‘Hey, we’ve probably relented as far as we can go.’ So this is a classic stare-off right now and it’s time to buckle up.”
Hendrickson said it was personal…and that’s bad
We’ve heard tons of people over the years in a myriad of industries discuss business negotiations and say things like, “but, it’s just business” and “it’s nothing personal, just business.” It’s a great thought to remove the emotion and treat any business agreement like a callous automaton.
But, that’s not exactly real life; it’s easier said than done. Especially when you have an athlete with an earnings shelf life, who endures laborious physical Herculean tasks to earn his paycheck. Now, take that athlete and put him against an organization that he’s watched repeatedly try to skate when it comes to paying high-level talent market value.
It would take the mental strength of David Blaine in a Times Square water tank to remove the emotions. And even back in May, Hendrickson acknowledged that it had become “personal.”
“A little transpired between me and [Bengals head coach Zac Taylor],” Hendrickson told reporters then. “We’ve tried to keep it as little personal as possible. At some point, it becomes personal.”
Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown isn’t trying to offend Trey even if he is
For what it’s worth, Bengals’ owner Mike Brown told reporters at the start of training camp that he thinks negotiations are going well. I don’t think Sports Jeopardy! is still on the air, but “Cincinnati Bengals’ owner Mike Brown lives on this planet” would make for a phenomenal Daily Double.
“I could get into the negotiation,” Brown said last week. “I’m not looking to offend Trey by saying something or justify where we are. I think we’re in a good spot. I’m just going to leave it at that. You guys can say what you want. I’m not going to say much until it gets done.”
You have one great player on an atrocious defense who is woefully underpaid, feels disrespected and is not currently in the same U.S. state as your NFL training camp. Right where you want to be!
Yesterday, ESPN insider Adam Schefter said that there is indeed a stalemate – contrary to the rosy picture that lives in the head of the Brown family – and that the two sides remain at loggerheads.
“The deal is in place for Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals but there’s a disagreement over the guaranteed money,” Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday. “… It’s a big disagreement so far.”
Tune in tomorrow for my next article on this topic called “Nothing Has Changed…Again.”
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