Star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson continues to be quite outspoken about his contract situation with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Just one day after he aired his grievances over the standoff with the Bengals, the four-time Pro Bowler unexpectedly showed up at the team’s facility and spent 25 minutes talking to reporters about the disastrous contract talks with Cincinnati.
Per The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr., Hendrickson expressed disappointment with how things have gone and added that his statement to ESPN on Monday and decision to talk with reporters on Tuesday were “provoked” by the team.
Most importantly, Hendrickson revealed that he has no plans on playing on his current deal, so a holdout appears to be likely for him, which only increases the chances that he’s traded.
“Trey Hendrickson just spent 25 minutes with us and had a lot to say and didn’t hold back,” Dehner Jr. wrote. “The word ‘disappointed’ was used often. Said his statements have been ‘provoked.'”
“Asked explicitly if he will play on the current deal: ‘No,'” Dehner Jr. added.
Hendrickson also revealed that head coach Zac Taylor notified him 30 days before mandatory minicamp that he’d be fined if he didn’t show up, which frustrated Hendrickson and made him believe nothing would get done in that time.
You can check out the full interview with Hendrickson below.
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In his statement to ESPN on Monday, the reigning NFL sacks leader said that he has not spoken with the team since the draft, something he blamed on the Bengals. Hendrickson has routinely touched on the poor communication from the franchise.
He also said that the team made him a promise that it would take care of him if he kept playing at a high level, something he certainly did in 2024 after posting 17.5 sacks, the most in the NFL.
“No communication has taken place between my camp and the organization post draft,” he stated in the statement to ESPN. “The offers prior to the draft did not reflect the vision we shared and were promised last offseason if I continued to play at a high level. Coaches are aware of these past conversations. Rather than using collaboration to get us to a point to bring me home to the team, THEY are no longer communicating.
“I have been eagerly awaiting a resolution of this situation, but that’s hard to do when there is no discussion and an evident lack of interest in reaching mutual goals,” he concluded.
The Bengals’ approach here is truly mind-boggling, especially when you consider the team had no problem paying an injury-prone No. 2 receiver in Tee Higgins.
Cincinnati needs Hendrickson if it wants to get back to the playoffs and compete for a Super Bowl in 2025. He’s one of the premier edge rushers in the NFL and earned the payday he’s seeking.
The fact that Higgins was prioritized over Hendrickson is a clear sign that the Bengals have their priorities all screwed up. Nobody should be surprised considering this franchise’s history of boneheaded decisions.
