Trey Hendrickson's revised contract offers Bengals temporary relief

The $30M contract puts Hendrickson, 30, more in line with the top earners at his position, although it sits well below the extensions Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt signed earlier this year that pay his AFC North edge-rushing peers north of $40M annually.

Since signing with the Bengals in 2021 free agency, Hendrickson has 57 sacks, the third most in the NFL, only trailing Watt (58.5) and Garrett (60).

While the Bengals should celebrate getting their best defensive player back in time for the start of the regular season, the party will be short-lived. 

The revised contract doesn't come with any added years, setting Hendrickson up to become an unrestricted free agent in March 2026. While he could remain in Cincinnati through 2025, his one-year deal makes it less probable.

If Hendrickson has another monster double-digit sack season, he'll likely price himself out of the Bengals' range. And if he puts up lesser numbers, Cincinnati would have less incentive to want to sign a player producing diminishing returns.

Rookie first-round pick Shemar Stewart, who ended his own contract dispute in late July, could make an eventual breakup less painful with a strong season. Myles Murphy, a 2023 first-rounder, is also kicking around. But after two subpar seasons, it's less likely he'll be a part of the Bengals' future plans.

Hendrickson's revised contract provides Cincinnati with immediate relief, yet anything beyond 2025 is uncertain. The Bengals averted disaster by ending Hendrickson's hold-in, but it might not be long until they run into another.