All-Professional edge rusher Trey Hendrickson‘s contract dilemma with the Cincinnati Bengals appears to have taken a constructive flip, with each side reportedly resuming discussions this weekend.
Hendrickson, who led the NFL in sacks final season with 17.5, voiced his displeasure over his contract scenario all offseason. He has one yr remaining on his present deal and is owed $16 million. He did not take part in any of the Bengals’ offseason, skipping out on the group’s necessary minicamp practices this previous week and risking being fined as much as roughly $105,000 because of this.
The one time Hendrickson was seen for Cincinnati’s offseason program was throughout voluntary exercises in Might, when he expressed his disappointment with how the Bengals had been dealing with contract talks.
“We’ve tried to maintain it the least quantity private as attainable, however in some unspecified time in the future on this course of it turns into private,” Hendrickson instructed reporters on Might 13. “Being despatched 30 days earlier than necessary camp, or what number of ever days it’s, that if I don’t present up, I might be fined, alludes to the truth that one thing gained’t get executed in that time-frame.
“The dearth of communication put up draft made it imminently clear to my celebration — that means my spouse, my son and my agent, a small group of individuals — that this won’t work out.”
The 30-year-old Hendrickson has been an enormous motive for the Bengals’ sudden rise in recent times. After signing a four-year, $60 million deal to hitch the Bengals in free company in the course of the 2021 offseason, Hendrickson has been named a Professional Bowler in every of the final 4 seasons. He has recorded at the least 14.0 sacks in three of his first 4 seasons in Cincinnati, recording 56.0 whole sacks since becoming a member of the Bengals.
Moreover, Hendrickson has additionally been good at producing stress. He had 83 pressures and was second in move rush win charge final season (24%). He is additionally completed within the high 10 in move rush win charge amongst edge rushers in all 4 years he is been with the Bengals.
That is why Bengals head coach Zac Taylor expressed a want for Hendrickson to stay in Cincinnati for the lengthy haul when he was requested about his significance to the group throughout minicamp.
“I believe anytime you’ve gotten nice gamers, you need them to be round,” Taylor mentioned. “That is only a resolution he is bought happening proper now, and we’ll maintain specializing in the blokes which are right here.”
Trey Hendrickson has statistically been amongst one of many NFL’s finest move rushers since he joined the Bengals in 2021. (Photograph by Dylan Buell/Getty Photographs)
Previous to the developments in latest weeks, it was beforehand reported that the Bengals had allowed Hendrickson to debate a attainable commerce and an extension with one other group. However as the sting rusher market has exploded this offseason, Hendrickson stays with no deal. His $16 million wage for the 2025 season pales compared to the contracts that Myles Garrett (4 years, $160 million), Danielle Hunter (one yr, $35.6 million) and Maxx Crosby (three years, $106.5 million) have obtained this season.
The Bengals are additionally coping with a contentious contract scenario with edge rusher Shemar Stewart. Stewart, whom the Bengals chosen with their first-round choose within the 2025 NFL Draft, walked out of minicamp final week as he and the group have struggled to return to phrases on a deal. He additionally did not take part within the Bengals’ offseason program as Cincinnati is reportedly searching for so as to add language to the contract that will void assured cash in future years.
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