Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson has revealed that contract talks with the team have stalled, due to a dispute over a new deal.
In a released statement, Hendrickson stated that there has been no communication between his team and the organization after the NFL draft in April.Hendrickson also indicated that the offers presented by the Bengals “did not reflect the shared and promised vision” if he continued to play at a high level. According to the player, negotiations for a new contract have stalled.
Instead of collaborating to reach an agreement and bring me back to the team, THEY no longer communicate. I have been anxiously awaiting a resolution to this situation, but that is difficult when there is no discussion and an evident lack of interest in achieving mutual goals.
Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson, 30, is entering the final year of his current contract and is coming off his best season in the NFL to date. He led the league with 17.5 sacks last season and was named to The Associated Press All-Pro team, marking one of the team’s first selections on the prestigious list since 2015. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati’s other All-Pro selection last season, received a new $161 million contract this offseason, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback player in league history.
Hendrickson has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his four seasons with Cincinnati. In 2023, he received a one-year extension on the four-year, $60 million contract he signed as a free agent in 2021. Last offseason, he requested a trade after the team opted not to give him a new contract. Ultimately, he reported to voluntary workouts.
Hendrickson’s comments were the latest public development in the ongoing contract saga. Last month, in an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show”, Hendrickson expressed his disappointment at Bengals executive Katie Blackburn’s comments about his contract talks with the team.
I think he should be happy with certain rates that he may not think would make him happy. I think it’s partly up to him to be happy at some point, and if he’s not, that’s what sometimes holds him back. He needs to say yes to something. We have all the respect in the world for him.
Katie Blackburn
During his appearance on the McAfee program, Hendrickson said he was disappointed with Blackburn’s comments “because communication has been poor in recent months.” He also said the Bengals have not communicated directly with his agent about his contract, saying that “it’s been a little frustrating.”
Last Friday, Bengals coach Zac Taylor had no news on Hendrickson’s contract when he met with the media after the team’s rookie minicamp.
Hendrickson will earn $15.8 million in base salary this season, the final year of his contract. On the McAfee show, Hendrickson said he is not looking to become the highest-paid defensive end or be the “first in line” to close a deal, but that there was urgency to get something done. The Bengals will begin organized team activities later this month.
Hendrickson isn’t the only defensive end on the roster looking to resolve a contractual issue. Shemar Stewart, the No. 17 selection in this year’s draft, didn’t participate in last week’s rookie minicamp because his contract remained unsigned.
