Another NFL contract standoff is boiling over, this time in Cincinnati, where star defensive end Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals are locked. For the third straight offseason, Hendrickson has pushed for long-term security, first requesting a trade before settling for a one-year extension that now feels like a temporary fix. The Bengals have pushed back, offering $28 million annually—a number Hendrickson has flatly rejected as insufficient for a pass rusher of his caliber. With permission to seek a trade but no takers emerging, the tension simmers, leaving the Pro Bowler in limbo. As negotiations stall, whispers grow louder: Will Cincinnati budge, or is this the beginning of an ugly divorce?
Trey Hendrickson’s contract dispute has escalated into a full holdout, with the star pass rusher skipping the Bengals’ voluntary offseason program. He continues to train independently but made a pointed appearance on Tuesday to confront the team and head coach Zac Taylor. According to an X post by ESPN’s Field Yates, the Bengals responded swiftly, slapping him with significant fines. The post read, “Hendrickson is subject to fines totaling just over $100,000 is he misses all three days of mini-camp.” Yates broke down the financial stakes in a recent post, noting, “But for him, that price is a small one to pay if his absence results in a major raise on his current deal.”
Hendrickson is subject to fines totaling just over $100,000 is he misses all three days of mini-camp.
But for him, that price is a small one to pay if his absence results in a major raise on his current deal.
Both sides remain dug in… https://t.co/p2rRycJuIW
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) June 10, 2025
The disgruntled edge rusher has been clear about his intentions for months. In a terse 25-minute media session covered by The Athletic, Hendrickson bluntly stated he would not play this season under his current contract. His $15.8 million base salary for 2024—the final year of his deal—falls far short of his market value as one of the league’s most disruptive defensive forces. The Bengals’ refusal to meet his demands has only hardened his stance, turning this standoff into a game of financial chicken.
Yates summed up the impasse with a stark assessment: “Both sides remain dug in…” The Bengals seem unwilling to bend, while Hendrickson views fines as collateral damage in his push for a lucrative extension.
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