The latest ripple in the Cincinnati Bengals and Trey Hendrickson contract dispute is now costing him money. Hendrickson was a no-show for mandatory minicamp, signaling his seriousness about getting a new contract before he takes the field again in Cincinnati.
Hendrickson’s standoff with Cincinnati just reached a new level and opened the door to a massive shift the Bengals aren’t equipped to make yet. This offseason was pivotal for Cincinnati for a team that usually keeps things close-knit; it had the public eye on them as massive extensions loomed.
Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase were guinea pigs for a franchise that’s entering a new phase. Typically, they just let their stars hit free agency if they weren’t high-yield players. That’s how Jessie Bates ended up in Atlanta, Joe Mixon ended up in Houston, and why Hendrickson is in a stalemate.
What the Cincinnati Bengals do with Trey Hendrickson will have a cultural impact on this franchise's future
This offseason wasn’t just important because the Bengals had to step out of their comfort zone, but it will be what helps this franchise enter the modern era of the salary cap. This is a franchise that’s used to taking average players and building success over a long period of time.
When they hit the depths of the NFL in the late 2010s and landed in the position to draft Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, they were handed a core they could let go. Even if Higgins was the odd man out, they couldn’t afford to let him shine with another team.
It’s the same situation they’ve run into with Hendrickson. In the past, they would have let Hendrickson go without a fight. But the fact that they’re continuing to negotiate – though it’s getting nowhere – is a sign they know they have to change their approach.
Hendrickson’s impact is clearly not enough to convince this franchise to expedite their negotiations. This defense was miserable last year and their best player, despite demanding a trade, doesn’t seem interested in leaving. Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks. Shouldn’t that be good enough to convince Cincinnati to pay him his worth?
The Bengals know they have to invest in the defensive side of the ball. They’ve never had to deal with multiple massive contracts, especially on both sides of the ball. But this year is a learning experience for quite a few reasons.
They won’t be able to keep the same cheap mindset they’ve gotten by until now. Burrow put pressure on the front office to bring back the offensive weapons and they listened. He’s trying to influence them to keep Hendrickson, too.
He might have enough pull to make it happen. If he does, it will be the start of a new era in the Bengals' approach to building a championship-caliber roster. They are learning they can’t be cheap anymore and learning they’ll have to invest in all their star players and not pick and choose.