Trey Hendrickson won’t play for Bengals on current deal: Where do both parties go from here?

Trey Hendrickson is present at Cincinnati Bengals offseason workouts. The key word being present. Hendrickson spoke to the media for nearly 25 minutes on Tuesday as the Bengals’ voluntary OTA session was open to the media. Twenty-five minutes is a long time for any player to speak to the media, yet Hendrickson had a few things to get off his chest. 

Hendrickson told Bengals reporters he’s become disappointed with the team’s lack of communication and the contract situation with the team has become “personal.” He also stated the Bengals are no longer discussing contract talks with him, leaving the star pass rusher available to play elsewhere if they can find a trade partner. 

He won’t play with the Bengals this season under his current contract, but left the relationship open-ended. Basically, the ball is in the Bengals’ court to improve negotiations with Hendrickson. He is set to earn $15.8 million this season, the final year of his contract with the team.

A four-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro from last season, Hendrickson’s value has never been higher. The Bengals pass rusher is the fifth player in NFL history with 17+ sacks in back-to-back seasons — and the first since J.J. Watt from 2014-2015. He has 49% of the Bengals’ sacks from last season — the highest rate in the NFL. Hendrickson has 70.5 sacks over the past five seasons, trailing only T.J. Watt (73.5) and Myles Garrett (72.0) in that span. 

With Hendrickson seemingly available, what is the next phase for him and the Bengals going forward? 

Trey Hendrickson landing spots: Ranking five best fits after Bengals star hints at ongoing dispute with team

Cody Benjamin

Is there a market for Hendrickson this late in the offseason? 

Of course teams will want to get their hands on a 30-year-old pass rusher who is coming off a 17-sack season. Hendrickson was one of the best pass rushers in football in 2024, leading the league with 17.5 sacks and tying for first in the NFL with 83 pressures with Garrett. He was also second in quarterback hits with 36. 

Teams can never have enough pass-rushing help, especially with a pass-rushing specialist like Hendrickson available. The salary will have to be significantly higher than the $15.8 million, but any team acquiring Hendrickson can make it work. 

How much can Hendrickson make with a new contract?

Garrett is the highest-paid pass rusher in football, making an average annual salary at $40 million a season. Danielle Hunter is second at $35.6 million, and Maxx Crosby is third at $35.5 million. All have received new deals this offseason. 

Hendrickson is 11th in average annual salary at $21 million per season, but he’s still underpaid. The fifth-highest paid edge rusher is Josh Hines-Allen at $28.3 million, which could be the barometer for Hendrickson. Regardless, Hendrickson is due for a significant raise from whatever team employs him in 2025. 

What teams have the most cap space? 

These are the five teams with the most salary cap space available, per the NFLPA. Each of these teams could (theoretically) could give Hendrickson an extension and still have plenty of cap space last over if they chose to acquire him. 

Of course, teams can backload the Hendrickson contract and tie up cap space in later seasons. With Hendrickson likely getting a shorter-team contract with potential void years, paying him more up front may be the smarter move. 

So what’s the Bengals’ next move?

If Cincinnati doesn’t intend on giving Hendrickson a new deal, it’s best for the Bengals to get value for him. With one year left on his contract, the Bengals could save $16 million in salary cap space if they can trade Hendrickson — no matter if the deal is before or after June 1. There’s no rush to get a deal done. 

What potentially could the Bengals receive for Hendrickson? Certainly a first-round pick would be the asking price given that the draft has passed and the season won’t start until September. The contending teams would be more likely to match a first-round asking price rather than a team that is rebuilding in 2025. 

If the Bengals can get a second-round pick for Hendrickson or multiple picks in return, that trade would be considered a win. The Bengals committed to paying Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this offseason, so there may be no more room in the budget for Hendrickson — especially since the Joe Burrow contract is starting to kick in. 

This is about having cash for the future, one the Bengals likely don’t think Hendrickson is a part of. It’s best to find the best offer for Hendrickson and move on before the situation gets worse.