Trey Hendrickson Dylan Buell/GettyImages

Commanders would be insane to ignore Trey Hendrickson after latest media tirade

Originally posted on Riggo's Rag | By Dean Jones | Last updated May 13, 2025 1:30 PM ET

Trey Hendrickson's media tirade against the Cincinnati Bengals regarding his contract dispute shows no signs of slowing down. And this relationship is bordering on the point of no return.

That should provoke a response from the Washington Commanders, who are in win-now mode and desperately need a prolific edge rusher to get them over the hump.

Hendrickson's latest outburst saw the All-Pro defensive end reveal that negotiations have stopped with the Bengals. They are refusing to speak further about an extension, opting for radio silence despite the esteem in which the player is held by almost everyone within the franchise.

That put pass-rush-needy teams on red alert again. However, a new wrinkle of intrigue came into play when Hendrickson showed up at the Bengals practice facility, albeit without a uniform, on Tuesday.

He went to lend support to the young players being put through their paces. Hendrickson also had an ulterior motive for attending. This centered on airing his grievances in front of the media for 25 minutes after the session concluded.

Commanders should test Bengals' resolve over Trey Hendrickson trade

And as expected, Hendrickson didn't hold back.

The disappointment radiates from the player, who believes he's been harshly treated after producing the goods and giving so much. The former third-round pick is standing his ground, unwilling to play without a new deal and willing to be traded if things cannot be worked out.

If I sat here with four sacks, they’d want a pay cut and some money back. … I’m not going to apologize for the rates being paid to defensive ends in the National Football League.Trey Hendrickson

Hendrickson is right. The NFL is a business, and teams will tolerate players until they can replace them. He knows his worth and the current going rate for high-quality pass-rushers around the league. But after Cincinnati paid Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this offseason, they seem reluctant to part ways with more cash to make their best defensive player happy.

This isn't uncommon where Bengals owner Mike Brown is concerned. He's notoriously cheap, with rookie first-rounder Shemar Stewart's contract structure giving him enough concern to avoid working out at the team's recent minicamp. If he doesn't loosen the purse strings for Hendrickson, trading him is the only viable option.

The Commanders should be all ears, despite not being blessed with much draft capital in 2026 as things stand. They don't have a second or fourth-rounder, which makes things difficult. But Peters could sacrifice some 2027 selections if he's convinced this move can propel Washington to a Super Bowl.

It's a fluid situation. Hendrickson is trying to force the Bengals' hand, and they've shown no signs of budging. This is a fascinating situation, and Peters should be monitoring developments closely.