Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Report: Three teams have interest in Trey Hendrickson trade

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 8:01 AM ET

The Cincinnati Bengals have placed Trey Hendrickson on the trade block, and there are at least three teams that reportedly have interest in the star pass rusher.

Hendrickson is set to earn $16M in the final season of his contract this year, and he has been seeking a new deal all offseason. With the two sides not making any significant progress in recent weeks, the Bengals have informed teams that they will listen to trade offers.

According to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts are among the teams that have interest in acquiring Hendrickson.

Schultz notes that it is “highly unlikely” that Cincinnati would trade Hendrickson to the AFC North-rival Browns.

The #Panthers, #Browns and #Colts are among the teams that have shown interest in trading for #Bengals All-Pro Trey Hendrickson, per multiple sources.

An in-division and in-state trade is highly unlikely and any deal will be tough regardless. Cincinnati is believed to want an… pic.twitter.com/DHPnCuPNki
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 17, 2025

The Bengals gave Hendrickson permission to seek a trade earlier this offseason, but no deal ever got close. Unless the asking price has changed, the trade market for the 30-year-old could potentially be quiet again this time around.

Hendrickson had 35 sacks over the past two seasons, which was the most in the NFL during that span. He had 17.5 sacks each year and finished second in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting last season.

T.J. Watt, who is also 30, signed a record extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers last month that will pay him an average of $41M per year. That makes Watt the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. Hendrickson has indicated that he will not seek a salary that is quite that high, but he has been unhappy that the Bengals are unwilling to offer him guaranteed money beyond the 2026 season.

It is still possible that Hendrickson and the Bengals could come to an agreement before the start of the season. For now, the phone lines are open.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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