It seems to some to be becoming less and less likely that Trey Hendrickson is going to be returning to the Cincinnati Bengals, as the team has still not agreed on a new contract with the star edge rusher.
But in a press conference that was held on Tuesday, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor revealed that he has no update on Hendrickson, but he had talked to the disgruntled star.
"I put a lot of time into thinking — those situations, there’s real money at stake," Taylor said. "So I put a lot of time and energy into thinking about how to communicate, when to communicate. And so, that’s just how I handled that one. And, yeah, Trey and I have spoken."
Hendrickson has been growing upset with the Bengals for a while now, and has said to the media that things have been growing "personal" when it comes to his contract negotiations.
The star edge rusher ended the 2024 season with a league-leading 17.5 sacks, which was his second year in a row hitting that mark. His incredible season led him to be named First Team All-Pro for the first time in his eight-year career.
Hendrickson had just under half of the Bengals' sacks this past season, so losing him would be detrimental to the team's ability to get to the quarterback. They did draft an edge rusher in the 2025 NFL Draft, but replacing a player of Hendrickson's caliber might be easier said than done.
The rumor is that Cincy has offered $28 million per year … and we know Trey believes the team has reneged on a promise.
Hendrickson and the Bengals aren’t talking … but as last he’s talking to his coach.
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