Yardbarker
x
Former Bengals Coach Breaks Down Common Criticism of Trey Hendrickson
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) attends a preseason training camp practice in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, July 31, 2025. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

 Negotiations between the Bengals and Trey Hendrickson haven't resulted in a contract extension yet, as he continues staying engaged with the team during a training camp hold in.

Former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo discussed his old star pass rusher this past weekend with Kay Adams on Up & Adams. Anarumo called Hendrickson a "young" 30-year-old player who has nothing else to prove.

"So to address the age part, he's a young thirty," The Colts new DC said on the show. "He is a workout freak. He's always in the weight room. He's constantly training. So he's got a bunch of years left in him. He's a freak athlete. His numbers speak for itself. I think any team would see a 17.5 sack guy and take them. He can just generate a rush like nobody's business."

Anarumo got to see all of Hendrickson's impact on and off the field during the pass rusher's entire four-year run in Cincinnati.

Anarumo isn't far off saying no one can generate a pass rush like Hendrickson. According to ESPN, Hendrickson created 26 sacks for himself and his teammates a year ago, which was 11.5 more than any other player. It's a record in the database going back to 2017.

It was clear how much worse Cincinnati was without a player like Hendrickson in its defense this past Thursday. It's only a one-game preseason sample, but Cincinnati's defense created just 16 quarterback pressures and two sacks in the game against Philadelphia without him.

Hendrickson averaged 4.88 pressures per game last season.

This article first appeared on Cincinnati Bengals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!