Although Trey Hendrickson has ended his holdout from Cincinnati Bengals training camp, the star pass rusher and the team remain far apart in contract negotiations. Without a new deal, Hendrickson could certainly depart after this season, leaving a gap on the Bengals’ defensive line.
Despite selecting edge rusher Shemar Stewart in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, a recent 2026 mock draft has the Bengals adding another pass rusher.
Bengals Predicted to Select 8-Sack DE in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft
Even though the 2026 NFL Draft is over seven months away, it’s never too early for a mock draft, and PFSN’s Brentley Weissman just dropped a three-rounder.
In Weissman’s mock draft, four EDGE prospects went in the first round, including Auburn’s Keldric Faulk, whom he projected to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 26 overall.
Weissman believes that while the Bengals can likely reach an agreement with Hendrickson, the team may still desperately need a pass rusher come draft day in 2026.
“The Bengals’ pass rush group is currently a mess with Trey Hendrickson holding out,” Weismann wrote. “While this contract dispute will very likely be sorted out by the time the 2026 NFL Draft rolls around, there is a world where edge remains a big need for Cincinnati.”
Faulk has been a stud since joining Auburn as a four-star recruit. According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, the Highland Home, Alabama native was the No. 10 defensive lineman and a top-100 player in the 2023 recruiting class.
He didn’t see many starts as a freshman at Auburn but still made an impact, recording 35 tackles, including four total for loss, and one sack. He broke out in his sophomore season in 2024, finishing with 45 tackles, including 11 total for loss, and seven sacks.
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Faulk shows strong speed-to-power ability off the edge, leveraging his long arms and elite use of hands to disengage from blockers. He creates consistent disruption in both the pass and run game, flashing physical tools that translate well to the next level.
Auburn’s Keldric Faulk is easily the most intriguing athlete in the upcoming edge class.
6-6, 285 pounds. Only 19-years old still. All the tools to be a Top-3 pick pic.twitter.com/KJNg8rYXBM
— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) July 24, 2025
If Cincinnati can’t reach a deal with Hendrickson, which is more likely as the contract situation drags on, it makes sense for the team to look for help at EDGE in the draft.
Outside of Hendrickson’s 17.5 sacks in the 2024 season, the Bengals managed just 18.5 more sacks across their entire defense, a concerningly low number.
While they did draft Stewart in the first round, expecting him to alone replace Hendrickson’s production is unrealistic. That’s why a player like Faulk becomes an even more logical target if Hendrickson were to leave.
