A variety of pass rushers have gotten paid this offseason, including Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns and T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers. But there is one other top pass rusher in the AFC North that still needs to be paid, and that's Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals. The two sides have taken their negotiations public, with Hendrickson voicing his displeasure to reporters during offseason workouts. Then, before training camp, Hendrickson left the state as contract talks continued to go nowhere, despite team owner Mike Brown's positive comments.
There is now a new update, and sorry Bengals fans, it's not a positive one.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler provided an update on Hendrickson's negotiations with the Bengals, saying that while they made progress, the team feels they have gone as far as they can go.
"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 said, h/t Bleacher Report. "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."
Latest Trey Hendrickson contract update should have Bengals fans bracing for trade
Yes, there are some areas where the Bengals and Hendrickson have made progress, but the main reason for pessimism is the guaranteed money.
Fowler's ESPN colleague, senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday and said that the two sides are good on the term and the total money of the contract. But when it comes to the guaranteed money, there is between a "$6 million and $10 million" difference between what the Bengals are offering and what Hendrickson wants.
Now, with Fowler's reporting, the Bengals seem to be dug in on how much they are willing to offer in guarantees. And Hendrickson has let it be known that he won't report for training camp or play a down of football this season without a new contract. So, if there is no movement, there is no expectation of Hendrickson returning to Cincinnati. That means a trade could be more realistic than ever.
Of course, this will all be contingent on the Bengals willing to do that, and the team has said they aren't willing to do that. But what if there is no traction in negotiations before the season? That would make things more interesting.
The Bengals have always had a difficult task ahead of them this offseason, as they needed to give Hendrickson, Tee Higgins, and Ja'Marr Chase new contracts. They were able to lock in their top two wide receivers, but have hit a roadblock in talks with their pass rusher.
All Bengals fans can do is wait for new updates, but as of now it appears the team has gone as far as they are willing to go.