The Cincinnati Bengals are hoping to avoid a messy situation with star defender Trey Hendrickson, who enters the final year of his contract in 2025.
Reports are that the two sides are far apart and the team lowballed him with an offer already.
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported what he thinks could happen between the two sides as talks continue to progress.
"Hendrickson is due to make $16 million this year," Florio wrote. "The Bengals, we’ve heard, have offered roughly $28 million per year. Whatever the amount (and, as importantly, the structure), he wants more. Hendrickson has real value, but he doesn’t have much leverage. His options are simple and few. One, take the team’s best offer on a new deal.
"Two, play for $16 million and become a free agent in 2026 (unless they tag him). Three, hold out and hope the Bengals will cave."
None of those three scenarios that Florio outlined seem to be in Hendrickson's favor.
He's already spoken out to talk about how disappointed he is in the negotiation process so far. ... suggesting that the Bengals are liars for having reneged on a promise to get this done.
“To say I'm going to sit out or I'm not going to, what I can say is I'm very disappointed with the communication that's been had," Hendrickson said. "Former players have walked in these shoes and what it foreshadows is not something I'm excited about to tell my wife and my family. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that. I truthfully will put my hope in that.”
Across four seasons in Cincinnati, the well-established standout - who is threatening a prolonged holdout here - has established himself as one of the league's premier pass rushers and most prolific sack machines. He's posted back-to-back seasons of 17.5 sacks and made the Pro Bowl the past four seasons.
What's the "going rate'' here?
Well, it's not $28 million.
Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby just signed on for $35.5 million per year. Following that, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett got $40 million.
Soon, Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons will reach or exceed that number.
In 2024, Hendrickson established a new career high with 46 tackles with 33 solo and 10 for loss with 36 QB hits. ... making him, in the eyes of many, just as important to a Bengals push for a Super Bowl as Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who just signed monster deals to help carry the Joe Burrow-led offense.
