Shocking Bengals retirement gives Trey Hendrickson major contract extension leverage

Nobody saw this coming. On Wednesday morning, Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard retired from football. The Cincinnati native spent his entire NFL career out of Ohio State with his hometown team, a career highlighted by great play on the 2021-22 Bengals defense that went to the Super Bowl in 2021 and made it back to the AFC Championship Game a season later.

Hubbard took to social media on Wednesay morning to announce his decision. Not only did we think the veteran still had some high-quality football left in the tank, but many thought he would be the guy the Bengals would eventually pivot to in the wake of fellow edge rusher Trey Hendrickson potentially walking. Instead, Hendrickson now holds all the cards when it comes to negotiation a big extension.

Hendrickson spent his first four NFL seasons out of Florida Atlantic with the New Orleans Saints before coming over to Cincinnati in 2021. Every year he has played for the Bengals, Hendrickson has been a Pro Bowler. He is coming off his first All-Pro season, but with only one more year under contract with the Bengals, his future with the team is in serious. doubt. Yes, they may draft his replacement at No. 17, but I think they need to still keep him.

Here is Hubbard's heartfelt goodbye penned to Who Dey Nation over X from "The Cincinnati Kid."

Hendrickson stands to make well over $18.6 million in annual salary for the 2025 NFL season.

Sam Hubbard retirement gives Trey Hendrickson even more leverage

In his eight NFL seasons out of Florida Atlantic, Hendrickson has eclipsed double digits in sacks four times, including three of his four years in Cincinnati. He matched his career best this past season with 17.5 en route for to first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career. Hendrickson does not turn 31 until next December; he likely has one more major deal on the horizon before eventually declining.

Given the Bengals' inherently cheap nature, as well as their proclivity to draft well, just because we all think Cincinnati should extend Hendrickson does not mean they will. For crying out loud, they still have not even paid Tee Higgins his money yet. The star wideout has been slapped with the franchise tag in back-to-back years, and Cincinnati also has to figure out a long-term extension for fellow wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, too.

What I am getting at is the Bengals have painted themselves into a corner. Every team may be subject to the same rules and regulations in a salary-capped league, but everyone can and will allocate the same resources differently. Hendrickson should make north of $25 million on his new deal, but I have my doubts that it will be with the Bengals.

For now, Hendrickson's value internally only intensifies with Hubbard retiring and out of the picture.