As offseason workouts begin for a handful of NFL squads, we see players in the midst of contract negotiations make an appearance. One of the most notable, Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals, is on site for workouts. However, his attire is not all too convincing for Bengals faithful.
A Rock and a Hard Place, Trey Hendrickson and Bengals Saga Continues
Bengals writer Paul Dehner Jr. was at a recent offseason workout where he captured a handful of team members entering the facility. Amongst them, CB’s Josh Newton, Jalen Davis, and DJ Turner II, along with LB Maema Njongmeta, all of whom arrived in uniform. Joining them, not in uniform, was last season’s sack leader, Hendrickson.
Well, Trey Hendrickson is here. pic.twitter.com/lxJYGh8bqj
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr)
Hendrickson’s outfit drew a roaring response in Dehner’s comment section. Some fans said it looks like the outfit to sign a contract in, while others joked that the star defensive end looks to be heading to a different profession.
All jokes aside, Hendrickson and the Bengals’ inability to reach a new deal is becoming genuinely concerning for both parties.
Lackluster Defense on Brink of Losing Superstar Leader?
The 2024 Bengals defense was monumentally disappointing. An offense led by Joe Burrow that averaged just shy of 28 points per game was incapable of achieving a playoff birth. This was due to the one-man show on the defensive side.
The Bengals’ defense finished No. 28 in PFSN’s 2024 NFL Defense+ metric, ahead of just the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Carolina Panthers. If it were not for Hendrickson’s heroics, Cincinnati’s playoff hopes would have been snuffed long before they were.
Cincinnati did ink deals with its two leading receivers. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both signed $100 million-plus deals. So, there is little wiggle room to sign virtually anyone else. With their defensive struggles last season, many believed an emphasis would have been put on bolstering that side of the ball, including Hendrickson and his camp.
As the 30-year-old enters the last season of his contract, things continue to look grim. Recently, Hendrickson spoke with ESPN, leaving a less-than-promising response on the situation.
“No communication has taken place between my camp and the organization post-draft,” said Hendrickson. “The offers prior to the draft did not reflect the vision we shared and were promised last offseason if I continued to play at a high level.”
“Rather than using collaboration to get us to a point to bring me home to the team, THEY are no longer communicating. I have been eagerly awaiting a resolution of this situation, but that’s hard to do when there is no discussion and an evident lack of interest in reaching mutual goals.”
As the 6’4” superstar and his camp await more information from Duke Tobin and Bengals brass, the snail-paced negotiations will remain where they are.