6 Cincinnati Bengals to build around for future success

3. Trey Hendrickson

Trey Hendrickson is only through the first year of his four-year deal but he shattered every expectation anybody had for him. Not only did he have the best season of his career yet, but he also had one of the best seasons in Bengals franchise history for a pass rusher.

Hendrickson totaled up 14.0 sacks which ranked him near the top as one of the most disruptive pass rushers in the NFL. This was huge considering when the Bengals signed him, people wondered if his 2020 season in New Orleans was a fluke. Hendrickson proved that it wasn’t.

Hendrickson is not a guy the Bengals want to lose especially if he keeps up with similar production over these next three years. He’ll be approaching his 30s by the time he hits his next contract, but the defensive line is perceived differently than a position like running back, where teams start to cut ties once they start hitting their 30s.

There are many successful pass rushers and effective defensive linemen in their 30s, so Cincinnati should not hesitate to extend Hendrickson if the consistency and health remain intact.