Something’s been off in Cincinnati for a while now. No, it’s not the ‘Skyline Chili’. Yeah, that, too, but we are talking about Trey Hendrickson. The Bengals’ star hasn’t exactly been shy about his frustrations. It all started in April, when he broke character and went public with his disappointment. “I’m not going to apologize,” he said, pointing to the booming market for pass rushers.
“I’ve been basically asking for the same thing every year—to be solidified as a Cincinnati Bengal for life.” Basically, asking the front office to stop dancing around and start talking seriously. Fast-forward to May, and nothing’s changed… Except Hendrickson’s patience.
The Bengals let him explore trade options earlier in the offseason, and now, with OTA season looming, they still haven’t re-engaged. As Tom Pelissero reported Monday, “No breakthrough in negotiations.” After which, a cold, hard truth bomb, straight from Hendrickson, followed. He told reporters after practice, flat out, “No,” when asked if he’d play without a new deal.
He didn’t stop there. “It’s become personal, unfortunately,” he said. “If I sat here with four sacks, they’d want a pay cut and some money back.” It’s hard to argue when the numbers are this lopsided—35 sacks over the last two years. The rest of the Bengals’ D-line? Not even close. Hendrickson isn’t asking to be paid like a superstar—he is one.
The Bengals reportedly still feel there’s a “positive direction” to all this, according to The Athletic. But if that’s the case, they haven’t picked up the phone. Hendrickson’s done being polite. Now, he’s made it clear: no deal, no football. And with Sam Hubbard gone and Cincinnati eyeing another playoff run, the silence is starting to cost more than just cap space.
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