NFL Trade Rumors: Cincinnati Bengals Edge Rusher Trey Hendrickson Willing to Miss Games

The Cincinnati Bengals remain at a standstill with their premier pass rusher. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, in a piece by Ben Baby, four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Trey Hendrickson is "extremely dug-in" regarding his demands for a new contract and is willing "to miss games or even the season."

Trey Hendrickson-#Bengals standoff lingers:

-Hendrickson 'extremely dug in'
-'I can't see how they can let a great player go...given pressure to win now'
-Potential compromises

Good piece from @Ben_Baby, to which I contributed some league buzzhttps://t.co/fDLEgJXcm0
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) May 29, 2025

Hendrickson has repeatedly made waves this offseason in his attempts to pressure the Bengals into a lucrative extension. Most notably, he aired his grievances to the media after arriving at practice out of uniform. He declared at the time that he would not play under his current contract.

Hendrickson is in the final year of his current deal and is set to earn approximately $16 million, per Spotrac. He last renegotiated with the Bengals in the summer of 2023. Since then, Hendrickson has compiled a league-best 35.0 sacks and even earned first-team All-Pro recognition in 2024.

Hendrickson has clearly outplayed his deal, but he has a few things working against him. For one, the Bengals have already signed wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to record-breaking extensions earlier this offseason. For another, Hendrickson is 30 years old, and a long-term, top-of-the-market deal could prove costly for the Bengals if Hendrickson's performance declines in the coming years.

Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns 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 reasonably demand $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.

If a deal in that range is too rich for the Bengals or insufficiently lucrative for Hendrickson, it may be time to part ways. The relationship may not be worth preserving at this point. The Bengals' defence has been helpless even with Hendrickson dominating. They finished 31st in yards allowed in 2023 and 25th in 2024, and those problems have kept them out of the playoffs for consecutive years. If Hendrickson, who is 30 years old, regresses at all while on a significantly more expensive contract, the Bengals defense could struggle for years to come.

At this point, the Bengals may be better off trading Hendrickson while his value is still high. Unfortunately, that'll reduce their overall talent level this season, and it could alienate their veteran players. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has repeatedly gone to bat for Hendrickson by encouraging his team to get a deal done.

Still, the Bengals need to make the best of a bad situation. They've missed their opportunity to add talent via the 2025 NFL Draft, but they could still land a day two pick or better in 2026. As much as it may displease their fans, the Bengals aren't ready to compete for a title right now, which means they must manage their assets and build for the future, even if that means parting with Hendrickson.