Bengals executive sends lame message to Trey Hendrickson amid contract talks

Over the last four seasons, Trey Hendrickson has the third-most sacks in the NFL (57). Over the last two years he has the most sacks in the league (35, with matching pair of 17.5-sack campaigns. Last season, that total led the league.

Hendrickson's desire for a contract that pays him like one of the best edge rushers in the NFL is not news. He asked for a trade in April of 2024, and when it was a dead-end he showed up for everything all offseason. Then all he did was go out and lead the league in sacks.

Hendrickson has made it clear he'd prefer to stay in Cincinnati, but he has also been clear he's not entirely happy with his situation.

After contracts have been done for Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Hendrickson is clearly next on the front office's agenda in that regard.

Of course there's a process to contract negotiations, and the top of the edge rusher market may be reset again soon if the Dallas Cowboys manage to get a deal done with Micah Parsons.

Bengals executive sends tone-deaf message to Trey Hendrickson

In an interview with Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer at the NFL Owner's Meetings in Florida on Tuesday, Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn addressed the situation with Hendrickson. After talking about allowing him to seek a trade, she had what comes off as a message for the team's best defensive player.

“I think he should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn’t think he’d be happy at,” Blackburn said. “I think some of it is on him to be happy at some point, and if he’s not, you know, that’s what holds it up sometimes. So, you know, it takes him to say yes to something, and also, we have all the respect in the world for him. He’s been a great player. We’re happy to have him. And so maybe we’ll find a way to get something to work. We’re just gonna see where it goes.”

Before the "I think he should be happy at certain rates..." comment, Blackburn acknowledged she doesn't really know what will happen with Hendrickson. The subsequent attempt to soften that initial comment was to no avail, and it's a clear sign the impasse between the two sides has not really changed.

Hendrickson is reportedly prepared to sit out the 2025 season if the Bengals don't do something--extend him, or trade him. It's hard to envision him actually doing that, but it's getting to the point where withdrawing his services is the only leverage he has.

The Bengals are a notoriously stingy organization. That said, Blackburn suggesting Hendrickson should be happy to not be paid like one of the best edge rushers in the league is a different level of lame, tone-deaf and ludicrous--among other things.

A situation like this usually means the organization will (and should) speak in generalities and platitudes publicly. If nothing else, the player should not be practically called out in a public forum. On that front, Blackburn failed big-time when talking about Hendrickson.