Hendrickson Bashes Bengals On ‘Respect’ in Contract Talk Update

It didn’t take long for the Cincinnati Bengals to fumble the goodwill they earned by extending receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to four-year deals.

In the weeks since those contracts were signed, attention has shifted to star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, the league’s leader in sacks and the best player on the Bengals defense. He, too, is looking for a raise, but Cincinnati has been playing hardball.

Despite what seemed like recent momentum, Hendrickson remains unextended as he enters a contract year as one of the league’s most underpaid stars.

On Wednesday, Hendrickson based the Bengals on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” as negotiations continue to stall.

"I don't wanna play for incentives that are out of my control and I don't wanna play for a short-term contract,” he said. “I would like to tell my wife, ‘Here’s where we’re gonna live, here’s where we’re going to build a family together’… I would prefer not to address these things but it's a respect thing when I'm hearing details about my contract that aren't privy to me"

Cincinnati’s hesitancy isn’t out of the ordinary. The organization cost itself millions by not extending Higgins early and waiting for Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett to sign his $160 million deal before locking Chase in for the long haul.

It’s also worth noting that Hendrickson emphasized the idea of respect from the franchise he’s given four seasons and 57 sacks. Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn went public with frustrations on Tuesday, setting the tone for Hendrickson’s spot on national television.

“I think he should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn’t think he’d be happy at,” Blackburn said, via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “I think some of it is on him to be happy at some point, and if he’s not, you know, that’s what holds it up sometimes. So, you know, it takes him to say yes to something, and also, we have all the respect in the world for him. He’s been a great player. We’re happy to have him. And so maybe we’ll find a way to get something to work. We’re just gonna see where it goes.”

Hendrickson responded to the statement on McAfee’s midday show, justifiably taking the comments personally.

“You can say respect but respect is something that I have for Zac Taylor. And I take that approach every day, being on time, communicating with him, and telling him ‘Yes, sir, I’m going to do the right things’ … There’s a mutual respect. Just to say the word respect and actions are speaking a lot louder in a different direction, it’s disappointing.”

Hendrickson claims to have wanted similar offers over the last three seasons in the search for a long-term deal, and that he isn’t trying to top Garrett’s market-setting four years and $160 million. But as he enters his age-31 season, Cincinnati has looked for every reason not to sign him, leaving his next chapter hanging in the balance.

Ultimately, the star has found a home with the Bengals, and he’s like to make it stick. The Bengals, by not meeting his (seemingly fair) demands, aren’t yet willing to make that happen.

“I personally would love to be in Cincinnati,” Hendrickson said. “But I'll play wherever."