Latest Trey Hendrickson report is encouraging news for Bengals fans and the opposite for teams that want him
As each day passes, it looks more and more likely the Cincinnati Bengals will hold on to All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Cincinnati granted Hendrickson's request to seek a trade nearly three weeks ago. In the time since, both sides have learned what the 30-year old's market is in terms of trade and contractual value, and […]
As each day passes, it looks more and more likely the Cincinnati Bengals will hold on to All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
Cincinnati granted Hendrickson's request to seek a trade nearly three weeks ago. In the time since, both sides have learned what the 30-year old's market is in terms of trade and contractual value, and talks have been had about an extension.
Now, with less than a month until the 2025 NFL Draft, a trade might be off the table entirely, as it always should've been.
Trey Hendrickson trade appears to be "off the table"
Per Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz, who reported the official finalization of the Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins contracts, the Bengals are focused on working out a new deal for Hendrickson and believes a trade is not being considered anymore.
"My understanding of the Trey Hendrickson situation is that the organization and ownership are fully prepared to move forward and attempt to negotiate a deal with him," Schultz said. "I don't believe they want to trade him at all, and I actually would say, after talking to multiple people involved, that they have now reached the conclusion that a trade is really off the table."
Schultz also pointed to the one-year, $35.6 million extension Houston Texans Pro Bowl DE Danielle Hunter agreed to last week as something that can help the Bengals reaching a fair number for Hendrickson.
"Now it really becomes, can both sides reach a fair agreement," Schultz said. "Can they come together and find a number that works for not only Trey, but obviously the the organization, and that's essential to this entire process. Now, last week, the Texans extended Danielle Hunter, and that was a big move for a lot of reasons. Obviously, the money, but same age, same position, both All-Pro caliber players at arguably the second most important position in the league. That extension now provides a potential blueprint."
Schultz has been very much in tune to what the Bengals have planned to do this offseason. NFL Media's Ian Rapoport put it on record Monday that the Bengals are working on an extension for Hendrickson and even offered his belief that the club wants to dispel the narrative that they let their star players walk in free agency.
We even wrote over a week ago that the Bengals finding out they aren't going to get a first-round pick in exchange for Hendrickson is more than enough of a reason to pay him his raise.
This decision should've been reached long ago, before free agency even. The price to get this done would've likely been lower, but Maxx Crosby and Hunter's deals can't go back inside Pandora's box.
The likelihood of a club handing over their top draft pick for the right to pay Hendrickson a deal worth over $30 million per year was never high, and if that's what other teams would pay him, then the Bengals should be willing to do the same.
It's looking more and more likely that the Bengals will be focused on getting this done, which is what they should've been doing for weeks.
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