The Cincinnati Bengals Have Officially Botched the Trey Hendrickson Contract Situation

The Cincinnati Bengals have officially bungled the Trey Hendrickson situation.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bengals are officially listening to trade offers for their All-Pro defensive end after being unable to reach a long-term contract extension with him this offseason.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz names the in-state division rival Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts among teams interested in trading for Hendrickson.

Schultz details that the Bengals would like to keep Hendrickson, but “talks keep hitting a wall.”

How?

The Bengals continue to do this every offseason. They were able to make quarterback Joe Burrow the NFL’s highest-paid player. After lengthy negotiations with wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the Bengals were able to get their quarterback some weapons as well.

But this offseason has been all about contract headaches in Cincinnati. Their dispute with rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart was finally put to rest after Bengals owner Mike Brown wildly claimed that he shouldn’t have to guarantee money to a player who could wind up in a jail cell.

This Hendrickson situation has somehow been even crazier.

Cincinnati’s defense stunk in just about every metric in 2024. If it had even been a bad defense, the Bengals could’ve been playoff bound because of how good Burrow, Chase and Higgins were.

Subtract Hendrickson from that equation, and this might just be one of the worst defenses we’ve ever seen. Burrow might have to put up a 40-burger on a weekly basis just to give the Bengals a chance at victory.

Hendrickson has had 17.5 sacks in each of his last two seasons in Cincinnati. At 30 years old, an extension would lock him up for the remainder of his prime.

But that age could also be what scares some teams away from committing big money to Hendrickson long term—especially when Micah Parsons could be on the market due to a lengthy contract dispute with the Dallas Cowboys.

That’s what makes this situation that much more maddening. The Bengals could’ve extended their top defensive weapon before Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt reset the market for pass rushers in the AFC North. Instead, they waited too long and now could be forced to move on from one of the league’s most talented players for pennies on the dollar—because he’s not even the best pass rusher thought to be available via trade right now.