Two of the Bengals’ major offseason priorities have been taken care of. Wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins each have new deals in hand, and their respective futures are no longer in doubt. The same is not true for edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, but that could soon change. 
While Joe Burrow has publicly campaigned for all three players to receive monster extensions, it remained clear the Chase-Higgins tandem was the team’s priority. Hendrickson received permission to seek a trade after being denied the opportunity to do so last offseason. His goal remains a lucrative extension, either on a new Bengals pact or one from an acquiring team.
An asking price involving a first-round pick and more is in place, something interested teams are balking at. As a result, no traction on a trade agreement has been reached, something which could help steer Hendrickson back to the Bengals for 2025 and beyond. Working out a deal remains the team’s goal in the wake of the Chase and Higgins pacts, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. Talks on an extension are indeed ongoing, Dianna Russini of The Athletic adds.
Providing further clarity with respect to the timeline in this case, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes negotiations on the Hendrickson front picked up late last week. This latest effort to work out a deal thus dates back to before the Chase and Higgins deals getting finalized, which helps explain the high asking price in a trade. Fowler confirms a market exists for a swap, but a breakdown in talks would likely be necessary for the Bengals to seriously entertain offers.
Hendrickson joined the Bengals in 2021, and his $15MM-per-year pact (and subsequent top-up) proved to be a highly worthwhile investment. The former Saint has earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of his four Cincinnati seasons, adding first-team All-Pro honors in 2024. Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season, matching his total from the previous campaign and helping his leverage in contract talks. With a trade being out of reach unless the asking price drops, Russini’s colleague Paul Dehner Jr. writes “the arrow is pointed toward” Hendrickson and the Bengals continuing their relationship (subscription required).
The Bengals re-signed edge rusher Joseph Ossai last week, and the team also has 2023 first-rounder Myles Murphy in the fold for at least two more years. Cincinnati ranked 24th in the league in sacks last season, though, an illustration of the vacancy Hendrickson’s departure would create in the event a trade were to take place. The Bengals are well aware of the fact a new contract with the 30-year-old will require a notable raise, and their attention can now fully turn to the latest round of extension talks on that front.
History has taught me that all the best teams have 60% of their payroll tied up in 4 players.
So they’re just gonna pay 4 guys insane money and fill the rest of the roster out with mid level guys I guess? Bold strategy cotton, let’s see if it pays off for them.
The Bengals are going to have 4 players and a bunch of guys off the street very soon.
Sounds like a lot of teams in the NFL these days. 4-5 players take up 65-75% of your cap space and the rest are rookies or guys on cheap contracts.
Not a formula that most championship “winning teams” employ.
How in the hell could one team pay 4 top position guys?
Just knowing how most teams operate, it doesn’t seem possible within the salary system. Most teams have a difficult time with 2 or 3.
How in the hell can Cincy afford all of this? They are going to have an AWFUL team for years to come if they give him big money too? Wow….