The Cincinnati Bengals are no longer afraid to spend. According to the Athletic's Dianna Russini, the Bengals and four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Trey Hendrickson are still trying to get a deal done.
Hendrickson has been seeking either a trade or an extension from the Bengals for over a year. Despite negotiations being acrimonious at times, Russini says she is getting "good vibes" from the current state of discussions.
The Bengals entered the 2025 offseason with a laundry list of major contracts due. Quarterback Joe Burrow notably got out ahead of negotiations, pressuring his franchise to spend big.
So far, the once notoriously thrifty Bengals have delivered. They signed wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to record-breaking extensions, and Hendrickson appears to be next in line.
Impact
Though Hendrickson may not have the name recognition of the league's most famous pass rushers, he isn't far behind in production. Since 2020, Hendrickson has notched an amazing 70.5 sacks, third-most in the league behind only Cleveland Browns All-Pro Myles Garrett (72.0) and Pittsburgh Steelers superstar T.J. Watt (73.5).
Garrett recently agreed to a monster four-year, $160 million extension, so the price of elite edge rushers is higher than ever. That contract is likely out of reach for Hendrickson, but he could very well exceed $30 million per year on his next deal and even flirt with total compensation in the neighborhood of the three-year, $106.5 million pact Maxx Crosby recently signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Securing Hendrickson would seem to be an obvious decision for the Bengals, but there's a reason it hasn't already happened. Ultimately, the team they've fielded over the past two years isn't good enough. They've missed the playoffs for consecutive seasons, and massive extensions for their existing stars will make it all the more difficult to build out the rest of their roster.
If the Bengals aren't willing to do something drastic to reshuffle their team, they'll have a hard time becoming a contender again. Their defense, in particular, has been helpless, even with Hendrickson contributing All-Pro-calibre play. They finished 31st in yards allowed in 2022 and 25th in 2023. If Hendrickson, who is 30 years old, regresses at all while on a significantly more expensive contract, the Bengals will have to absolutely nail upcoming drafts just to return to respectability.
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