Bengals' Trey Hendrickson continues to put minds at ease with team-first attitude following trade request
Cincinnati Bengals edge defender Trey Hendrickson made news by simply showing up to practice this week following his trade request going public a few weeks ago. The request came as a shock to many considering he signed a one-year extension with Cincinnati last July. Does he regret putting pen to paper after wanting to explore his […]
Cincinnati Bengals edge defender Trey Hendrickson made news by simply showing up to practice this week following his trade request going public a few weeks ago.
The request came as a shock to many considering he signed a one-year extension with Cincinnati last July. Does he regret putting pen to paper after wanting to explore his options this offseason?
"That's a good question. No," Hendrickson answered. "My goal was to play here longer, so when they offered me a chance to play for Cincinnati another year, I took it.
"I would take it again."
Nothing's very regrettable about another year of job security and a raise to go along with it. Hendrickson's one-year, $21 million extension gave him $8 million up front and keeps him where he wants to be through the 2025 season.
Requesting a trade just months after that would put any franchise in a tough spot, a fact that's not lost on Hendrickson.
"The production side is … I'm not asking for like a great business decision," Hendrickson said. "I know that asking ownership, there's not a lot of ways to cut it. I just know what I can do and how I can do it. And I think my tape has proven that over the last four years as a starter, and at the end of the day, I understand the business side and I'm not asking for good business decisions."
Hendrickson wouldn't have been the first Pro Bowler to force his way off an NFL team, but the Bengals are not like most clubs. The Brown and Blackburn ownership family rarely give in to such demands, especially after just paying a player of his caliber.
Since a trade's not happening, Hendrickson doesn't want his problem to become a problem for the entire team. Showing up to practice prevents the situation from getting to that point.
"At the end of the day, I'm not going to let the team suffer for that."
Balancing and weighing options when you can afford to do it is a part of every NFL player's career. Hendrickson has his own aspirations for the remainder of his peak playing days, but reaching them without the help of the team he wants to be a part of is not possible.
"Sometimes you have to make tough decisions, and I don't think the team should deal with the negative side of helping me achieve my goals," Hendrickson said. "It's not an individual sport, so it's not the team's fault. They were kind of the reason I'm able to be talking to you guys like this and saying I had a good season.
"I'm very blessed. I'm blessed to rush with these guys. I'm blessed to play on a great team. And at the end of the day, I think we can win a Super Bowl."
Hendrickson took a lot of heat from Bengals fans when his trade request went public, but an elite player wanting to utilize his leverage is nothing new. His reputation as a quality teammate hasn't dwindled, especially when he's building and strengthening camaraderie during the voluntary portion of offseason work.
Cincinnati is where Hendrickson wants to be, and that's all fans can ask for.
Trey Hendrickson explains why he’s back practicing with Bengals following his trade request
The 3-time Pro Bowler has his priorities in check.
