Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson could be cleared in time for Saturday’s Divisional Round matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
The Bengals defeated the Las Vegas Raiders in a nail-biting wild card victory, but it came at a heavy price.
Burrow and his offensive weapons thankfully weren’t injured, but Cincinnati lost defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, who will need surgery for his foot injury.
Hendrickson played 33 snaps against the Raiders, recording a sack and a tackle before suffering a concussion.
Coach Zac Taylor gave an update on Hendrickson’s status on Tuesday:
Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson is progressing through concussion protocol in a positive manner, per Zac Taylor.
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) January 18, 2022
Cincinnati Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson could be cleared to play vs. Titans
Hendrickson is currently going through defensive line drills, which is a really great sign for his availability.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) January 18, 2022
The prolific sack-artist logged 27 quarterback hits and 14 sacks in 16 regular season games, and he’s easily the best pass-rusher on the Bengals team.
Released last offseason by the New Orleans Saints, Cincy found a gem of a defensive end in Hendrickson. No one questions the Bengals’ offense heading into the Divisional Round, but the defensive unit may be the X-factor in a game that could see the return of Derrick Henry.
With Ogunjobi out, Cincy’s defense already has taken a huge blow. They can’t lose Hendrickson, too.
If Hendrickson doesn’t clear concussion protocol, rookie Cam Sample and second-year pro Khalid Kareem will need to step up in his absence.
The Bengals’ best hope of advancing hinges on Hendrickson starting on Saturday and disrupting Tennessee’s offense.