The Cincinnati Bengals and superstar edge rusher Trey Hendrickson are seemingly making some headway in their well-chronicled contractual stalemate. They haven't been on the same page this offseason, to put it mildly, though the latest update from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is a positive sign.
Cincinnati and Hendrickson have "resumed talks in recent weeks," as Fowler noted on SportsCenter and has previously mentioned. The two sides have "been in communication," which is more than can be said about where things were less than a couple of months ago. Nonetheless, there's still plenty of work to be done, but the insider's intel is a sign of progress.
The Bengals and Trey Hendrickson are (extremely) slowly inching toward common ground
This isn't the breaking news that Who Dey Nation was hoping for, but it's a step in the right direction. The Bengals and Hendrickson maintaining dialogue is encouraging and suggests they're willing to put their lingering drama to bed. Unfortunately, these discussions can drag out, particularly when Cincinnati is involved.
Hendrickson wants more long-term security, and the Bengals are notoriously frugal in that regard, as Fowler points out. However, Cincy missed the playoffs last year because of their historically bad stop unit. They can't afford to have his standstill hang over them heading into training camp -- and possibly beyond.
Moreover, Fowler reminded us that the Bengals' "plan all along" this offseason has been to extend their star-studded trio: Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Hendrickson. They took care of their dynamic wide receiver duo; the game-wrecking defender is the final piece of the puzzle. Cincy is ostensibly committed to playing hardball at the moment, but we've seen players successfully call their bluff.
" ... [Hendrickson] is dug in, he's prepared to miss time here," Fowler declared. This aligns with the 30-year-old admitting to not being able to envision a scenario of playing on his current expiring deal back in May. Meanwhile, the Bengals are ill-equipped to come close to replicating his production/presence, especially with another ugly contract dispute involving first-round rookie Shemar Stewart.
Even with Stewart, Hendrickson has been a perennial Pro Bowler since joining the Bengals and has been an invaluable part of their franchise. He earned All-Pro First Team honors and was the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up in 2024. His 17.5 sacks led the NFL, amassing 46 tackles (19 for loss), six pass deflections and two forced fumbles.
Only three players have recorded at least 70 sacks since 2020, with Hendrickson being one of them. Only his AFC North rivals, T.J. Watt (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns). Pro Football Focus graded him as the No. 8 overall edge defender last year, ranking as the fifth-best pass rusher while earning above-average run-stopping marks.