Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) assists with drills during a preseason training camp practice in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, July 31, 2025. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jets Not 'Frontrunners' For Bengals' Trey Hendrickson

Originally posted on New York Jets on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 8:07 AM ET

The New York Jets have made two trades already this week.

New York acquired defensive tackle Jowon Briggs from the Cleveland Browns and Harrison Phillips from the Minnesota Vikings. The Jets have fortified the defensive tackle position in a big way.

As the offseason has been winding down, there’s been a lot of trade noise out there. The guy who is at the center of it all is Cincinnati Bengals superstar Trey Hendrickson. He and the Bengals aren’t seeing eye-to-eye. Hendrickson wants a lucrative new deal and the Bengals haven’t obliged yet.

Because of this and all of the drama, reports surfaced saying Cincinnati is listening to trade offers. Hendrickson is an All-World talent. When the news dropped that the Bengals were listening, speculation popped up everywhere avout who could make sense for him. You’d see lists everywhere with potential landing spots or other conversations like that.

Could the Jets acquire Bengals star Trey Hendrickson before Week 1?

There is so much noise and it’s hard to cut through. As of now, Jets fans shouldn’t get their hopes up about the hypothetical idea of adding Hendrickson. Hondo Carpenter of Las Vegas Raiders on SI reported that the Las Vegas Raiders are currently viewed as the "frontrunners" for Hendrickson if he's traded.

"In a conversation with an NFL executive on Tuesday, I was informed, 'I have no doubt the Raiders are the frontrunners. Tom Brady and Mark Davis want to win now, and John (Spytek) has no fear when it comes to making bold moves. The kid (Hendrickson is 30), that move is the mentality of Pete Carroll; he’s not afraid of a nything that could improve the team,'" Carpenter shared.

It would take a lot to get a superstar like Hendrickson out of Cincinnati. This is a similar strategy to how the Bengals negotiated with other stars on their roster before signing long-term deals. Right now, it still seems more likely that he stays rather than getting traded. But, it does come down to whether or not the Bengals open the checkbook.

This article first appeared on New York Jets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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