As the new league year officially began on Wednesday, Trey Hendrickson still remains with the Cincinnati Bengals. And it might be a while before he is dealt. Dianna Russini from The Athletic reported on Wednesday that teams interested in him have no problem meeting his salary despite his age(30). But apparently, the Bengals' asking price is too high, according to one general manager.
Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season, but he is also entering the final year of his contract. He has made it clear he wanted a new contract last month when he appeared on "The Pat McAfee Show".
Despite the plea from quarterback Joe Burrow to keep him and wide receiver Tee Higgins, they put a franchise tag on Higgins for the second straight year while Hendrickson was given permission to seek a trade.
Bengals trade price for Trey Hendrickson is holding up deal, not a contractual ask
It is understandable that the Bengals are not going to give away Hendrickson. But there comes a point where the Bengals have to accept the reality that their demands will hinder the deal from getting done quickly.
The recent DK Metcalf trade from Seattle to Cincinnati's divisional rival, Pittsburgh, is a great example of overplaying your hand. According to reports, Seattle was asking for a first-round pick and a third-round pick. But the asking price eventually dropped to second-round pick, and that's what Seattle eventually settled for.
The Bengals can choose to wait until someone blinks first. But they are also playing a dangerous game if they continue to stick to their demands. Defensive end Sam Hubbard recently retired at the age of 29, while they brought back Joseph Ossai on a one-year contract. If they trade Hendrickson, they must add multiple pass rushers in the draft, and more draft capital is needed. At the same time, they run the risk of eventually losing Hendricks for nothing.
With Higgins franchise-tagged again and also having to worry about signing Ja'Marr Chase to a new contract, both sides have reached a point of no return. As more teams start to focus their attention on the draft, teams interested in Hendrickson could dwindle if the price remains high. Conversely, a lower ask could increase the interest and the likelihood of getting close to their initial trade demands.
The Bengals could be forced to compromise like Seattle did with DK Metcalf. But until then, they will remain firm on their demands.