Trey Hendrickson in Conflict with Bengals: Will Not Play Under Current Contract
Cincinnati Bengals star player Trey Hendrickson has announced that he will not participate in the upcoming season under the terms of his current contract. This decision marks a clear escalation in his dispute with the team.
Hendrickson, who showed up at the team’s voluntary workouts on Tuesday, but without a uniform, spoke to reporters. This happened a day after he issued a statement through a media outlet, where he expressed that contract talks with the team had stalled.
I am disappointed with the lack of communication and the situation has become personal.
Trey Hendrickson
Despite the tension, Hendrickson, 30, indicated that he still sees possibilities for reconciliation with the Bengals. The player is in the last year of his contract and is coming off his best season in the NFL, where he led the league with 17.5 sacks and was selected for the All-Pro team.
Hendrickson’s situation contrasts with that of Ja’Marr Chase, also an All-Pro for the Bengals, who received a new $161 million contract this offseason.
Hendrickson has been selected for the Pro Bowl in each of his four seasons with Cincinnati. In 2023, he received a one-year extension of his original four-year, $60 million contract, signed in 2021. Last season, he had requested a trade, but ultimately reported to voluntary workouts.
This year, Hendrickson has a base salary of $15.8 million. In an interview, the player clarified that he is not looking to be the highest-paid defensive end in the NFL.
