Trey Hendrickson’s standoff with the Cincinnati Bengals got messier in the offseason. Despite leading the league in sacks last year, the defensive end hasn’t yet finalized a contract extension with the franchise.
Hendrickson has been open about his frustrations and even skipped the mandatory minicamp. An NFL insider discussed the impact of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow on the contract negotiations of the four-time Pro Bowler.
NFL Insider Shares His Take on Joe Burrow’s Influence on Trey Hendrickson’s Contract Extension
The Bengals wrapped up mandatory minicamp without Trey Hendrickson, who skipped the sessions and racked up over $100,000 in fines. Entering the final year of his contract, the 30-year-old remains stern in his demand for a long-term deal that reflects his standing as one of the league’s top pass rushers.
Hendrickson is entering the final year of his contract and is set to make $16 million in 2025. But he’s made it clear to the front office he won’t play under his current deal. The Bengals have over $27 million in cap space.
Sport Illustrated’s Albert Breer shed some light on the Hendrickson contract situation during an episode of “The Rich Eisen Show” and shared his insights about Burrow’s impact on the negotiations.
“The Trey thing is even less predictable because this is a three-offseason thing now,” Breer said. “Two years ago, they do the one-year extension, which is a band-aid. Last year, they get nothing accomplished, and now they’re here.”
“I think the Bengals would be well within their rights to say, ‘We can’t do a Nick Bosa or Myles Garrett deal. We can’t do a market-moving deal for you,’” continued Breer.
Breer added that Hendrickson’s 35 sacks in the last two years put him in the same conversation as Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby and Houston Texans’ Danielle Hunter. He went on to point out the contractual elements of the Joe Burrow deal.
“The Bengals made exceptions to their contractual roles to do Joe Burrow’s deal,” Breer said. “Then they made similar exceptions for Ja’Marr Chase but not Tee Higgins. This is all really complicated. Then you have the Joe Burrow pressure element, like Burrow really wants these guys in.”
Burrow has often been vocal in his efforts to get the Bengals to pay his teammates and bring them back. He spoke out on Hendrickson’s behalf in May, claiming that Hendrickson deserves to get paid.
“Yeah, we’ll see what happens with that,” Burrow said. “You guys all know how I feel about Trey. He’s a great player. I love Trey as a guy. He goes out and plays well every single Sunday. He’s very productive. He’s a guy that deserves to get paid and get paid what he wants and what the market is. So, like I said, we’ll see what happens with that, but I love Trey and hope he’s with us.”
Burrow was asked last week if Hendrickson’s holdout is a distraction, and the Bengals QB was prompt with his response.
“Of course,” Burrow said. “Last year we had two, this year we have one, so it’s less. You’d love to have none, but that’s life in the NFL. We’re all supporting Trey, and we’d love for him to be back.”
Hendrickson is seeking a new contract that would pay him closer to the NFL’s top pass rushers, rather than playing on his current $16 million salary for 2025. The Bengals and Hendrickson have not yet reached an agreement. However, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday, June 15, that the two sides have resumed dialogue.
If no deal is reached, Hendrickson could be playing for his third NFL team in 2026. The Bengals are desperate for stability on defense and can’t afford to lose a player of his impact.
He’s not only the leader of the defense but one of the most productive edge rushers in football. His 17.5 sacks in 2024 led the league, and his 43 total sacks over the last three seasons trail only Myles Garrett.
At 30, Hendrickson still has plenty left. He’s coming off a career-high 46 total tackles and has played all 17 games in each of the past two seasons. During his rookie contract with the Saints, the FAU product had just 20 sacks over four seasons.
Hendrickson signed a four-year, $60 million deal with Cincinnati in 2021 and made an immediate impact in his first season. After a slight dip in 2022, he has reestablished himself as one of the league’s top pass rushers over the past two years. As contract talks continue, both sides will be looking for common ground to keep Hendrickson in Cincinnati for the long term.