Trey Hendrickson remains with the Bengals, but another record-setting contract — for Myles Garrett — has affected the edge rusher market. With T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons in contract years, the cost of deploying an elite player on the edge is rising. That will interfere with the Bengals’ Hendrickson situation.
While not an open-and-shut candidate to land a deal close to where Garrett went, Hendrickson is the reigning NFL sack leader who is in a contract year. As the Bengals have let Hendrickson shop for a trade, they have made it clear Tee Higgins will be their preferred extension recipient behind Ja’Marr Chase. Nothing has transpired on the Higgins front, and the Bengals have set a high price on Hendrickson.
Cincinnati wants at least a first-round pick for the 30-year-old pass rusher, with NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe reporting the AFC North franchise wants more than that. In speaking with a GM about the Bengals’ Hendrickson price, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicates that exec views it as “ridiculous.”
Teams are prepared to pay Hendrickson the new going rate on the edge, Russini adds, but Cincinnati’s asking price in trades has complicated this market. As it stands, Hendrickson is tied to his one-year, $21MM add-on agreed to in 2023. He is due a $15.8MM salary next season. For now, the Bengals can accommodate that, but it will be interesting to see where this goes. The Bengals are not one to give into player demands, as they shut down Hendrickson, Higgins and Jonah Williams trade requests over the past two years.
Hendrickson’s Bengals situation differs from his 2024 issue, as the team — which has shown more interest in a Higgins extension that it did last year — has let Hendrickson shop. But teams are waiting to see if the Bengals will drop their asking price, Wolfe adds. Cincy will carry a major need at edge rusher if it does move on from Hendrickson, as longtime starter Sam Hubbard retired. The team did re-sign Joseph Ossai on a one-year, $7MM deal and the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway adds a pursuit of four-year Giants EDGE Azeez Ojulari commenced before the Ossai deal. Though, Conway classifies the Bengals’ Ojulari interest as preliminary. Ojulari remains in free agency.
In confirming the Bengals want at least a first-rounder for Hendrickson, ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder offers that it is highly unlikely the Colts reunite him with DC Lou Anarumo. The Colts did let Dayo Odeyingbo walk (to the Bears) but still have Kwity Paye, Laiatu Latu and Samson Ebukam rostered. They also have a big-ticket DeForest Buckner extension and an eight-figure-per-year Grover Stewart contract on their books. The Colts also deviated from their Chris Ballard-era free agency blueprint by giving big-money deals to DBs Camryn Bynum and Charvarius Ward this week.
Higgins is “not happy” with being re-tagged, Wolfe adds, indicating talks with the Bengals on an extension have not progressed. This continues a refrain for Higgins. Although he has expressed interest in staying with Chase and Joe Burrow, he views himself as a WR1. The market appears to as well, as $30MM-per-year prices were thrown around when Higgins was viewed as a potential free agent target. The Bengals have set a “crazy” asking price on a Higgins trade, per Wolfe, and teams have called about a player that was once viewed as likely to leave Cincinnati in 2025.
With a Burrow-driven push seemingly changing the Bengals’ Higgins view, he remains on the team’s extension radar. As Hendrickson keeps looking around — after the Falcons and Commanders showed early interest — the Bengals will need to ramp up their efforts on a Higgins extension soon. Even though the Bengals have until July 15 to extend Higgins, the team exited the 2024 season having not seriously negotiated with its high-end WR2 since the first half of 2023. A show of good faith would stand to help that relationship, as Higgins has now been denied two free agency trips.
A new deal would drop Higgins’ 2025 cap number (currently at $26.2MM), while a Chase contract would reduce his $21.82MM figure. New contracts for the wideouts could allow the Bengals to keep Hendrickson in a contract year, but that obviously would not go over well with a player who wants to be extended — after back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons — before age diminishes his value.
No one is giving them a first round pick for an albeit great defensive player who is 30 and making big bucks.
DK Metcalf is not 30 and cost what round pick? Bengals trippin on some jungle juice maybe, or they are gaslighting Hendrickson and never had any intention of trading him
Metcalf isn’t as good of a player though.
And a completely different position.
The problem is anyone who trades for Hendrickson has to pay twice, once in trade compensation and once in contract. It’s one thing to do that for a young star of the sort who rarely comes available on the market and is hard to find in the draft, but this is a 30 year old pass rusher who isn’t really in the top tier, unless you assume his career year is his new standard (not a wise way to think). Someone might be willing to pay a first round pick for him (I doubt it), but who wants to spend that kind of draft capital to then pay him high end money entirely in his 30s? Especially when the draft class is so rich in edge rushers.
He has had 17 and 17.5 sacks and a very high pressure rate in the last two years while playing on a bad defense, letting him be doubled a lot. Saying he is not top tier is ridiculous. This draft class has some good edge rushers but no real sack specialists as well. They will not get more than maybe a 2nd and 5th with maybe a 4th coming back with Trey but he is top tier and has been on the field and not injured the last couple of years. He still has enough good years to play out a contract.
Bear in mind when I say top tier, I mean a really, really small number of guys: Garrett, Watt, Parsons (and Nick Bosa when he’s healthy, which isn’t often enough to fully put him with the others). Hendrickson is a really good pass rusher, but he’s not nearly the run defender those other guys are, which also makes me a little more concerned about betting on his aging.
I’d give a day 2 pick probably. Too much for 30 yr old.
Hendrickson is already under contract and Higgins is franchised tagged. So, technically neither is due anything other than what they are already signed for.
If these interested teams consider Higgins a number one receiver then a first rounder this year is a logical starting point. I would definitely ask for more. I wouldn’t give Hendrickson away for nothing either. He’s had 17 sacks 2 years in a row so a first rounder is the least they should ask for. Otherwise he’s already under contract.
If Burrow pouts about Higgins he’ll get over it. For all we know Burton will grow up and play so well he’ll make everyone forget about Higgins. It’s football, not a frat boy club for all your bro’s, players come and go. Pay Chase his 41 million and worry about the other 2 closer to the draft when teams get desperate. Or grab Cupp and get a little insurance in case Higgins cries and sits out
No a first is not when you look at the market and what others are getting. Team fans think their players are worth more than they are and are unrealistic on draft compensation. As long as they have to pay him top money, a team will not give up a number one for him. Besides the fact Chase pulls coverage from Tee which makes him look better than he is. Tee is a top number two WR. He is not a number one on another team.
Bengals will just tag him next year while Higgins walks next offseason. Maybe someone ponies up a 2nd on draft day for him. They are using the system that’s granted to them. I would keep Hendrickson (tag him twice) if no one meets an asking price of a 1st or 2nd and conditional 2nd/3rd. The future comp picks alone are 3rd rounders so a 2nd is the starting point in negotiations if I were the bengals.
Tag on a DE will be to high and they will not pay it. Besides, the way they do business they will end up tagging Chase next year.
Im not necessarily turned off by a first.
Is it an overpay? You bet. Especially since you gotta pay him too.
But where the Bills are in their lifecycle I think that addition could be a difference maker. This is a premium position too.
Of course – Cincy will have no interest in helping us. To be traded to Buffalo the price is much higher
Im typically conservative with draft picks – I probably over value them – but a swing like this at times can make sense.
I was kind of on the fence about Von when we got him – and I don’t really want to keep doing the older vet thing. Gine me Trey for this window of Josh prime.
But mostly – I think I agree with most of you guys here. I just think in the context of the Bills lifwcycle this makes sense to gamble a little.
Plus – Bosa!