Bengals rumors: Trey Hendrickson contract dilemma trending in promising direction

The Cincinnati Bengals and star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson have had a rough time while negotiating a contract extension, with Hendrickson using the media to call out the Bengals for allegedly cutting off communication following the draft.

Things may be improving, though, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

“So it’s been a little sticky for sure, like you said, but they have resumed talks,” Fowler said on ‘SportsCenter’ earlier today. “In recent weeks, they’ve been in communication. That is a good sign. It has not led to a deal as of yet, but Cincinnati’s plan all along has been to sign and extend their three top stars: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Trey Henderson. They got the two done. They know they need this guy. Seventeen-and-a-half sacks. He was carrying that defense at times last year.

“It’s just this is a process with a team that doesn’t give a lot of guaranteed money beyond year one, typically, or how they structure their signing bonuses. He wants more long-term security. This is not a year-to-year proposition for him. He’s 30 years old, yes, but he feels like he’s earned big-time money on a multi-year extension, so we’ll see what they can find, and some middle ground that they hope to find. If not, he is dug in. I mean, he is prepared to miss time here.”