Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Are Bengals, Trey Hendrickson heading toward messy divorce?

By Clark Dalton | Last updated May 13, 2025 2:45 PM ET

Cincinnati Bengals EDGE Trey Hendrickson reported to voluntary workouts Tuesday, but he and the team remain gridlocked in contract negotiations.

The 30-year-old is entering the last year of his contract and has received permission to seek a trade. On Monday, the four-time Pro Bowler released a statement to ESPN's Adam Schefter, ripping the Bengals for a lack of communication. He lambasted the team again on Tuesday.

Per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, Hendrickson spoke with the media for 25 minutes and said he won't play without an extension.

Trey Hendrickson just spent 25 minutes with us and had a lot to say and didn’t hold back. The word “disappointed” was used often.

Said his statements have been “provoked.”

Asked explicitly if he will play on the current deal: “No.”

Stay tuned, much more to come.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) May 13, 2025

Hendrickson was in street clothes and didn't participate in practice. According to Cincinnati sportswriter Charlie Goldsmith, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor told him he will be fined if he doesn't report to mandatory minicamp, scheduled for June 10-12.

Whether he'll do that remains unclear. The relationship between the pass-rusher and the Bengals has soured.

"A little transpired between me and Zac," Hendrickson said, per Goldsmith. "We've tried to keep it as little personal as possible. At some point, it becomes personal."

Re-signing Hendrickson would be smart for the Bengals. In four seasons with Cincinnati, he has amassed 57 sacks, including a league-leading 17.5 in 17 games last season. Cincinnati, however, doesn't seem willing to budge in contract negotiations.

"I think he should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn't think he'd be happy at," Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn said April 1, via ESPN's Ben Baby. "I think some of it is on him to be happy at some point, and if he's not, that's what holds it up sometimes. It takes him to say yes to something. We have all the respect in the world for him."

Rookie EDGE Shemar Stewart (pick No. 17) could be a potential replacement if the Bengals trade Hendrickson. In a story published Monday, CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin listed the Detroit Lions as the No. 1 destination for Hendrickson. Spotrac estimates they have $42.57M in cap space, enough to give him an extension.

Regardless, don't expect the Bengals and the pass-rusher to resolve anything soon. They're clearly in a bad place.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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