Latest reports prove no one really knows what’s going to happen with Bengals impending free agent Trey Hendrickson
Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson is set to enter free agency for the first time in five years.
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson is an impending free agent for the first time since 2021. That’s about all we know for sure with a month until free agency begins.
It’s highly unlikely Cincinnati will bring back Hendrickson for the 2026 season and beyond. The Bengals and Hendrickson tried to work out a long-term extension last offseason, but disagreements over the guaranteed money got in the way and led to a $13 million raise as a compromise.
Hendrickson leaving in free agency is the most likely scenario, but even NFL insiders seem to be hearing conflicting things regarding the 31-year old pass-rusher.
Latest Trey Hendrickson reports are conflicting in nature
Before Hendrickson can even hit free agency, he needs to get past Cincinnati using the franchise tag on him. The Bengals can place the $30.2 million tag on him starting Feb. 17, with the window closing on Mar. 4.
ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler is not expecting Hendrickson to receive the tag, but on the off-chance he gets hit with it, a tag-and-trade is the logical reason.
“The Bengals are always good for a few surprises, but a franchise tag for defensive end Trey Hendrickson would be a mild surprise to me. The relationship has essentially run its course, and the tag will be well above $30 million. Perhaps they could swing a sign-and-trade, but losing him to free agency could equate to a third-round compensatory pick in return if Cincinnati plays it right. The top free agent rusher will have plenty of suitors. Several teams in need of a pass rusher should look into him, including the Cowboys, Buccaneers and Colts.” — ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler
The purpose of tagging Hendrickson and then trading him would be to receive guaranteed compensation for this year instead of hoping they receive a 2027 compensatory NFL Draft pick. Cincy could find a trade partner in the three weeks between the tag window opening and the start of free agency to ensure a 2026 draft pick (or two) in return, or a player as well.
Should the Bengals tag Hendrickson and can’t figure out a trade before the start of free agency, the likelihood of trading him while being able to spend freely in the early days of free agency decrease dramatically. Leverage is lost while other teams eat up their salary cap space and sign EDGEs, taking them out of the market.
This is why it sounds safe to predict a tag-and-trade won’t be the plan, but NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo isn’t counting it out, nor is he eliminating the possibility of Hendrickson getting the tag and being on the roster this year.
“Our understanding is that the Bengals are still considering using the franchise tag,” Garafolo said Sunday morning. “Now, could it be a tag-and-trade possibility? Perhaps sounds like all options are on the table for Hendrickson right now, but it is not a foregone conclusion that his time in Cincinnati is over.”
Cincinnati tagging Hendrickson with the intent on keeping him and not trading him would be quite the surprise based on how his 2025 season unfolded and ended. He played in just seven games and opted for season-ending core muscle surgery with four games remaining in the year. Negotiations between him and the front office were “contentious” according to director of player personnel Duke Tobin. Does the organization really want to hold onto him any longer than the next month at this point? It doesn’t seem likely.
But even the insiders don’t seem to know at this point, and that speaks to the Bengals having not made a decision on what they will do with their four-time Pro Bowl sack artist.
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