We’ve heard it before: the Bengals rarely hand out third contracts to their veteran players. The few exceptions have come on the defensive line with stars like Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins. However, when it comes to star defensive end Trey Hendrickson, the team just can’t seem to finalize a deal. Recently, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler broke down the latest on the extension talks between Hendrickson and the Bengals during an appearance on SportsCenter.
Earlier in the offseason, during voluntary workouts, Hendrickson expressed frustration that the negotiations were getting personal. His sentiments were echoed by the team’s most recent first-round pick, Shemar Stewart, who told reporters that the Bengals seem to value winning contract battles more than winning games. Despite this, Hendrickson has returned to the negotiating table in recent weeks, with both sides communicating as they try to work out an extension. While that’s a positive sign, no signed deal has been reached yet.
According to Fowler, Cincinnati is eager to get this done. The Bengals entered the offseason aiming to extend their three star players. Wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both signed impressive new contracts back in March, announced jointly. But now, more than three months later, the team is still trying to finalize a deal for their third star, Hendrickson.
The main sticking point appears to be contract structure. Cincinnati typically prefers to front-load guaranteed money—mainly via signing bonuses—in the first year of extensions. This approach makes it easier for the team to part ways early without incurring large dead money penalties. This type of deal structure is common among teams, but it has fueled players’ demands for fully guaranteed contracts. As highlighted by the recent NFLPA collusion grievance arbitration ruling, the league is clearly intent on moving away from fully guaranteed deals.
Hendrickson feels he has earned more long-term security—and it’s hard to argue otherwise. At 30, he’s getting better with age. After a quiet first three years with the Saints, where he totaled just 6.5 sacks, Hendrickson exploded with 13.5 sacks in his contract year. That breakout earned him a four-year, $60 million deal with Cincinnati. He rewarded the Bengals with a new career-high 14 sacks his first year, followed by a so-called “down” season with 8 sacks in 2022. He then bounced back with career-high 17.5 sacks in both 2023 and 2024.
Following his first 17.5-sack season, Hendrickson held out to push for an extension. When no deal was reached, Cincinnati added a one-year, $21 million option to his contract, effectively postponing negotiations to this offseason. Hendrickson has made it clear he does not intend to play under his current deal moving forward, and the team’s “kick-the-can” approach with the additional year won’t work again.
In May, Hendrickson warned he was ready to hold out into the regular season if necessary. Fowler reports that Hendrickson is still willing to follow through on that threat. While he’s certainly seeking a big payday, more importantly, he wants significant money guaranteed over multiple years. After his best seasons came in Years 7 and 8, Hendrickson wants the Bengals to trust he can continue to perform at a high level deeper into his contract.
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