The disagreement between Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals has reached a resolution — at least temporarily. The exceptional defensive end brought his extended absence to an end after coming to an agreement on Monday to endorse a revised agreement, awarding him with a considerable compensation enhancement for the 2025 season. Hendrickson did not, however, finalize a lasting agreement with the Bengals and is still scheduled to explore available options at the conclusion of the upcoming campaign as an unrestricted free agent.
The compensation increase essentially provided both parties with additional time to arrange a settlement that extends beyond 2025. Hendrickson has stated clearly his desire to stay in Cincinnati for the foreseeable future, but considering the duration it required to settle on an amount for the current season (he also missed the entirety of the spring practice schedule), it is uncertain whether he and the Bengals will establish a contract that is satisfactory to all involved parties.
“I aspire to contribute to something extraordinary here,” Hendrickson expressed following Wednesday’s practice, his initial one since the previous season. “I’ve communicated that rather early and consistently. Then again, I’m unable to formulate my own agreements. I believe we, as players, would all appreciate the ability to do so. There wasn’t one that I encountered in the long term that I would have contemplated.”
It wasn’t until July 30 that Hendrickson even made his way to Cincinnati after having spent the initial several days of training camp outside of the state in Florida. His withholding of services transitioned into a physical presence when he made his way back to the team’s facilities. It was a “selfish act” as he put it, to distance himself from the team during its preparation for the approaching season.
Hendrickson was originally destined to receive $16 million during the last year of his existing contract. After the protracted negotiations, he will be earning almost twice that figure with a $30 million salary. His earnings for the upcoming season are now on par with those of other prominent pass rushers, and competitors within the division, such as Cleveland’s Myles Garrett and Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt, who acquired three years of entirely guaranteed funds from their respective teams. Conflicts concerning the guaranteed percentage of Hendrickson’s potential long-term agreement were allegedly the primary cause of the strain during discussions.
Hendrickson entered into his initial agreement with the Bengals back in 2021, and he obtained Pro Bowl recognition in each of his initial four years while in Cincinnati. The former New Orleans Saint underwent a rapid acceleration in his growth following three years as a backup and has cemented himself over the course of the past five seasons as one of the NFL’s top play disruptors, attaining a minimum of 13.5 sacks in all but one season since 2020. He concluded as the runner-up in the AP Defensive Player of the Year voting from the previous season, trailing Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, with an NFL-leading 17.5 sacks.
