Mina Kimes, Robert Mays Discuss Trey Hendrickson's Status With Bengals

 ESPN's Mina Kimes previewed the AFC North on the Mina Kimes Show Featuring Lenny this week. Kimes and her guest Robert Mays had plenty of fun discussing the lingering Trey Hendrickson contract situation, wondering if Hendrickson is the most important defensive player in the NFL.

"Yes," Kimes declared. "Myles Garrett is actually not that far behind, as I looked at that edge rushing group, but at least Myles Garrett has, like, good players behind him. Trey Hendrickson, he has so much leverage. Like, what a great case study in how much leverage a single player can have."

ESPN's Bill Barnwell noted in May that the star edge rusher created 26 sacks for himself and his teammates during the 2024 season, 11.5 more than any other player. Hendrickson is the only player since the stat surfaced in 2017 to top 20 sacks created.

"I'm amending this a little bit," Mays said when he corrected himself about the Bengals wanting to win a Super Bowl. "When you have a team and an offense that is capable of winning a Super Bowl, you would think that a player in Trey Hendrickson's situation would have some leverage, but I don't think you can ascribe normal logic and motivation and thinking to the way that the Cincinnati Bengals operate. Unfortunately."

The Bengals go to the beat of their own drum when it comes to contract timelines and 2025 is no different for the defensive side of the ball.

There has been no update in the past couple of weeks on negotiations with Hendrickson or his rookie teammate, Shemar Stewart.