The upcoming draft represents a logical deadline for the Trey Hendrickson situation to reach a resolution. If the reigning sack leader is to remain with the Bengals, it will not be for a lack of effort on the part of interested suitors to swing a trade. 
Once again, Hendrickson is seeking a new deal after his efforts to secure an extension last spring did not produce an agreement (or a willingness on the Bengals’ part to entertain his trade request). This time around, Cincinnati granted the 30-year-old permission to seek a trade, a sign that team and player were far apart on contract terms. Since then, wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have each landed massive extensions, taking care of the two in-house players known to be higher organizational priorities.
However, extension talks have picked up on the Hendrickson front, and a report from late March indicated a trade was no longer receiving consideration. That represented an indication a long-term agreement could be worked out, but progress has proven to be difficult to come by. Hendrickson has gone public with his frustration over his situation, and as could be expected there remains a trade market as the countdown to the draft continues.
Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post reports “numerous teams” have unsuccessfully offered mid-round picks for Hendrickson, who will require an extension upon arrival with his next employer should a trade come to pass. He adds the Bengals have maintained an asking price of first-round value, which is roughly in line with where that previously stood. If no extension agreement is worked out over the coming days, the prospect of a trade will remain a major league storyline.
To little surprise, one executive predicted to La Canfora Hendrickson will be dealt at the draft in the event a new Bengals pact is not in place by that point. Cincinnati could stand to add multiple impact rookies on defense, and dealing the the four-time Pro Bowler would yield extra capital to meet that goal. On the other hand, losing Hendrickson would obviously create a massive roster hole along the edge as Cincinnati looks to improve in that spot with or without him in the fold.
The Bengals are currently projected to have over $85MM in 2026 cap space. Plenty of moves will be made to alter that figure before free agency next spring, of course, but the funds can be found to keep Hendrickson in place on a deal close to the top of the EDGE market. Unless traction in that regard is found soon, though, a trade will loom as a possibility.
The Bengals will not be consistently good until Mike Brown goes the way of the dodo. 🦤
Been dreaming of that for years! If he really loved the team he would sell for billions and give us a chance.
This team is the Cowboys of the AFC. They are paying their guys a year after they could’ve signed them to cheaper extensions by being stingy.
100%
And they haven’t done a good job of finding potential replacements for him, either.
Everybody rightly praised them for the Henderson signing rather than paying Lawson a ton of money but guys like Hendrickson are hard to come by these days since teams prioritize edge more than ever.
Hendrickson. Man I’m tired of autocorrect changing correct words.
@black. Yep it’s over his price now. He said he was willing to sign three years ago for the same price as Montez sweat. They waited too long now it either pay him or trade him. Teams are waiting for his price to drop because they can’t afford him.
Exactly. The 2 teams with owners being GMs always will be the same results.
If traded I think Bengals get a 3rd and 7th this year and a 4th in 2026
@zantigm. Yeah sounds about right. It’s not a pass rusher, but this is year to grab a defensive tackle, and beef up the line that way.
The Falcons need four or five of this guy. It would be nice if they got one.
Falcons don’t have any picks. They would need to trade back for more.
No picks and limited budget. I wish we could have him
No pressure to trade him. He is still under contract this season. He is not going to pull a Laveon Bell at his age.
A 3rd rounder is not worth the potential production he can put up this season. If they don’t get a first then hold till next season.
The cap is expected to go up $15 million next season.
That sets up the infamous ‘pulled hammy’ routine.
Not to mention, it shows other players and potential free agents how they could be treated..
You mean by playing out their contract that the player signed??
How in the hell do they have $86M in cap space when they are already paying 55% of that cap on 3 players (per overthecap)? I DO NOT get the Cap system and how it works obviously!
Let me get this straight, the Bengals rejected multiple bad mid round trade offers for the NFL sack leader. Meanwhile negotiations on going just like Higgins, Chase naysayers said deals wouldn’t get done. Lazy journalists at its finest.
Why trade a good player for a mid round draft pick? Because writers on the internet say they should? Because football fans want them to? Hendrickson is already signed for this year at 15 million. Nobody twisted his arm or kidnapped his dog to make him sign the contract. If the team wants to pay him more that’s their choice, but they aren’t required to just because the fans want them to. And to the people who still criticize Mike Brown for being cheap, you are a bunch of sheeple. The man just paid 70 million a year to 2 wide receivers, and 55 million a year to Joe Burrow. That’s not being cheap. He could have traded the whole lot and laughed about it. Instead of thanking him and the Bengals, people want to fall back on the cheap narrative. It’s lame and untrue, but somebody said it so it must be a fact. Keep it up Cincinnati Fans, there are quite a few cities wanting a team. I’ll bet the people in Baltimore didn’t think the Colts would leave, or the people in Cleveland thought they would lose the Browns. Better to have any team to crab about than not have one at all.
Bad take is bad. Brown won’t restructure anyone’s deal to create cap room which results in him being incredibly cheap and thrifty
In other words he doesn’t want to mortgage the future to prop up the present. Seems smart, not cheap, because those future bills come due some day and leave the team in a hole and over the cap. It’s called being responsible with your money, not cheap or thrifty.
Detroit would be interested in Trey! Bengals
Get Lions 2 rounder, swap 4th rounders and get Lions 3rd next yr.! Get it done before the Draft so Lions can grab the Best Interior Offensive Lineman!!!