Boy, is it shaping up to be a consequential offseason for the Cincinnati Bengals, or what? After missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, the onus is on the front office and management to make the necessary roster changes.
This NFL offseason, some major pieces in the form of Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson are up for extensions. However, it’s a complicated road that the Bengals have to travel to feed all mouths while building a viable contender around Joe Burrow. One analyst believes that means making a hard decision when it comes to Hendrickson.
Analyst Believes Trading Trey Hendrickson Best Option for Cincinnati Bengals
Last season, the Bengals had a top-of-the-line offense, with Ja’Marr Chase bagging the triple crown and Burrow finishing with a career high in yards and touchdowns. However, the team still couldn’t make the playoffs, thanks to a horrendous defense.
By PFSN’s Defense+ metric, Cincinnati was fifth-worst in the NFL, and even Hendrickson’s individual brilliance couldn’t save their season. Aaron Schatz of ESPN understands that conundrum very well.
“Hendrickson is one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. He led the league with 17.5 sacks in 2024 and was second in the league in pass rush win rate among edge rushers. But he’s going to be 31 years old next season, and one player does not make a defense.”
As a result, Schatz believes the focus should be on building out the entire defense under new defensive coordinator Al Golden. Reports suggest that Cincinnati is looking to find deals with Hendrickson, Higgins, as well as Chase, who is up for an extension next season. However, Schatz believes the focus of the team should be on the draft and rebuilding their defense from the ground up instead.
“They have just six picks in the upcoming draft and could use more. The Bengals should let another team give Hendrickson that extension and build up their draft capital by sending him elsewhere.”
On his end, Hendrickson has made it clear that he’s looking for a trade if he doesn’t receive a contract extension.
Having a veteran presence who is still incredibly effective might seem like a no-brainer for Cincinnati. However, the long-term outlook that teams like the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs deployed by trading Stefon Diggs and Tyreek Hill, respectively, might be the way for the Bengals to go as well.