The Cincinnati Bengals have done the unthinkable, allowing their best defensive player (on a bad defense, mind you) to seek a trade. Trey Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks this past season and is often overshadowed by the likes of Myles Garrett and TJ Watt in his own division.
Hendrickson is 30 years old, which explains the Bengals hesitancy towards giving him a new contract. Yet, pass rushers age a little better than, say, running backs. If Hendrickson has the tools and work ethic, he should prove capable for the next 4-to-5 years.
Cincinnati's 2024 campaign was a huge letdown for fans and quarterback Joe Burrow. Burrow had an MVP season that was overshadowed by defensive struggles and incompetent coaching. In a vital offseason, Cincinnati has already franchise tagged Tee Higgins rather than signing him to an extension. Ja'Marr Chase would also like a raise. Hendrickson was about the only thing that went right for a putrid Cincinnati defense last season. He had 17.5 sacks for the second straight season, and has over 13 sacks in four of the past five seasons.
Cincinnati Bengals went against Joe Burrow's wishes, which could haunt them
Burrow explicitly warned the Bengals front office to value Hendrickson, along with Higgins and Chase. Bengals ownership is notoriously cheap, and they just spent a ton of money on a Burrow extension. Cincinnati cannot keep everyone, but Hendrickson is worth having around long term.
"We need Trey back," Burrow said. "We need to give him what he's worth and what he deserves. He's earned that."
Bengals general manager Duke Tobin didn't shy away from Hendrickson's value, either, admitting he deserves more money.
“Has he earned a pay raise and a bump in an extension … he has,” Tobin said. “We’re cognizant of that, and we will give that to him. But whether we agree on what that looks like is, is what is to be determined.”
Hendrickson made $15.8 million last season. In what is becoming a crowded trade market for pass rushers, he will go toe-to-toe with the likes of Garrett. The deal just given out to Maxx Crosby surely didn't help matters, as the Bengals patience got the best of them. Crosby received a record-breaking $106.5 million extension.
Burrow warned the Bengals organization of repercussions when the season ended. Losing Hendrickson would go a long way in finding out exactly what he's referring to. Considering they have a quarterback like Burrow in his prime, the Bengals can do better.