As Trey Hendrickson prepares to finish his holdout, it is time for the Cincinnati Bengals to satisfy their star edge-rusher midway.
On Tuesday, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Hendrickson plans to finish his holdout amid a protracted contract dispute by reporting to Bengals camp on Wednesday regardless of nonetheless searching for an extension.
“Reporting to camp stops the $50,000 per day fines and in addition serves as a good-faith gesture to attempt to jumpstart negotiations,” Schefter wrote.
Hendrickson is owed $18.7M in 2025. Final season, Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks (17.5).
He initially signed a four-year, $60M contract with the Bengals throughout 2021 free company and later signed a one-year extension in July 2023 to maintain him Cincinnati by means of 2025.
With no ensures past this upcoming season and the edge-rusher market exploding just lately, Hendrickson definitely has a sound argument to demand an extension. In the meantime, Cincinnati has few (if any) good causes to not reward their finest defensive participant.
Hendrickson, 30, has been one of many league’s most prolific pass-rushers since becoming a member of the Bengals.
Former agent Joel Corry, writing for CBS Sports, brushed apart considerations a couple of potential drop-off in manufacturing whereas pointing to Pittsburgh Steelers edge T.J. Watt’s current contract extension.
As Corry famous, Watt, who grew to become the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback when he agreed to a three-year, $123M extension earlier this offseason, is roughly two months older than Hendrickson.
“Hendrickson additionally accounted for 48.6% of Cincinnati’s sacks final season whereas Watt was answerable for 28.8% of Pittburgh’s,” Corry wrote.
On Monday, Schefter shared that the primary sticking level in Hendrickson’s contract dispute is assured cash, with the Bengals hesitant to supply any ensures past 2025 on a possible three-year deal.
As productive as Hendrickson has been for the Bengals — his 57 sacks since 2021 only trail Watt and Cleveland Browns defensive finish Myles Garrett — the entrance workplace ought to be doing every part in its energy to make sure he finishes his profession in Cincy.
Hendrickson ending his holdout is step one to the perimeters reaching a decision. The subsequent is the Bengals giving him an extension commensurate to his manufacturing.
