Concerning Update Between the Bengals & Trey Hendrickson

February 11, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson reacts during 2025 game.

The Cincinnati Bengals are staring at another Trey Hendrickson headache, and this time it sounds more serious than the usual agent posturing. 

Reports tied to CBS Sports chatter suggest the two sides are “not really on good terms” heading into March, which is a brutal place to be when you are talking about an edge rusher with Hendrickson’s resume and leverage.

Bengals tag talk feels like leverage, not a plan

The franchise tag has been floated as a possibility, but even some league-connected reporting has framed it as something that would surprise people around the NFL, mainly because the number is massive and fully guaranteed. 

If the Bengals tag Hendrickson without a true path to a deal, they risk paying premium money for a player coming off a season derailed by injuries and a late surgery, while also trying to patch multiple holes on the same defense. 

The tag-and-trade idea sounds better until you remember the buyer is not just trading assets, they are also stepping into an instant contract situation with a player who already looks fed up. 

A free agency market that could get uncomfortable fast

If Hendrickson actually reaches free agency, the market tends to take care of itself for pass rushers, especially for a proven finisher at the top of the pocket. 

The Bengals know this, which is why the “not on good terms” update is the concerning part, because it suggests this is not simply about dollars.

Cincinnati could still try to reset the relationship the way it has before, but the longer this drags, the more it starts to feel like a split is coming, and the only question becomes whether the Bengals can control the exit through a tag-and-trade or whether another team gets a clean shot at him. 

Photo Credit: Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Go To: NBA Rumors | MLB Rumors | NHL Rumors