Trey Hendrickson is still seeking a new deal (or a move away) from the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason. The All-Pro defensive end wants to be paid for his exceptional contribution over the last two seasons, but both sides are still in the process of working things out based on head coach Zac Taylor's comments at the annual league meetings.
It's a precarious situation. Something that led one respected analyst to project a trade away for the former third-round pick to a leading Super Bowl contender in the coming weeks.
Hendrickson wants to stay with the Bengals, but not on his current deal. Cincinnati has paid the wide receiver tandem of Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase already this offseason, signifying its intent to keep the primary offensive weapons around quarterback Joe Burrow intact. But unless the defense meets their end of the bargain, Taylor's squad won't be balanced enough to keep pace in the AFC North.
Losing Hendrickson at this stage is simply not an option. A tipping point will arrive soon, which could come sooner than expected after Cincinnati's executive vice president, Katie Blackburn, commented that the player should be happy with the offer on the table. This fanned the flames when more decorum was required.
NFL analyst believes Bengals could trade Trey Hendrickson to the Lions
Bill Barnwell from ESPN found a solution that makes everyone happy. The analyst touted the Detroit Lions as an outstanding trade spot for Hendrickson if this contract stalemate continues. It provides the Bengals with valuable capital to rebuild their defense and gives the NFC North club a devastating pass-rushing partner opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
"[Trey] Hendrickson would slot in as a second elite rusher for Detroit. He would command a deal around $35 million per year, but the Lions could make that work with guarantees over the next two years. General manager Brad Holmes has generally done excellent work in the draft, but making an all-in move for Hendrickson is a reward for years of building things up the right way. If the Lions want to shift their defensive philosophy after losing coordinator Aaron Glenn to the Jets, Hendrickson would give them the ability to rush just four more often without needing to rely on blitzes."Bill Barnwell
The cost to acquire Hendrickson would be first and fourth-round picks in this hypothetical scenario. Detroit isn't going to get a talent like this at No. 28 overall. Whether they could justify the $35 million per year salary when Hutchinson also needs to be paid soon is another matter.
Teams around the league will remain ready to strike if the Bengals and Hendrickson don't patch things up. The smart money would still be on a compromise being reached. At the same time, both sides seem pretty dug in right now.
The clock is ticking. Once the 2025 NFL Draft comes and goes, the Bengals will lose more leverage. If no offer is good enough for Hendrickson, maximizing his value becomes the correct pivot.
If Hendrickson ended up on the Lions, they'd arguably be the Super Bowl favorite despite the Philadelphia Eagles residing within their conference. Hopefully, for the Bengals' sake, it won't come to that.