The weeks leading up to the NFL Draft are a peak time for trades in the league, as teams are eager to make moves in the name of improvement. With that in mind, Pro Football Focus compiled a list of every team's top trade asset ahead of the upcoming '25 draft.
When it comes to the Cincinnati Bengals, their selection isn't especially surprising, although there were a couple of candidates. Linebacker Germaine Pratt and defensive end Trey Hendrickson have both requested trades away from the organization this offseason, but one would obviously be worth more than another in a potential trade.
Trey Hendrickson listed as Cincinnati's top trade asset by PFF
Given his talent level, and the return that he would likely fetch in a deal, Hendrickson was the choice for Cincinnati.
From PFF:
"The flames surrounding Hendrickson’s trade request have extinguished a bit in light of recent reports that Cincinnati is working to retain him. But with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins receiving nearly $70 million combined per year, the Bengals might need to get creative to keep their superstar. ... Cincinnati being late to reward Hendrickson means that he’d probably require at least $35 million per year unless the All-Pro is willing to take a discount."
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Hendrickson is the best player on the roster that the Bengals could potentially trade, so it's not surprising to see him identified as the team's top trade asset, but will a trade actually ever come to fruition?
Recent reporting has consistently suggested that the Bengals are hoping -- and trying -- to figure out a deal with the star defensive end, who currently has one year remaining on his current contract. They've maintained an incredibly high asking price and haven't operated like a team actively interested in trading Hendrickson.
If the Bengals don't ultimately trade or extend Hendrickson, he could potentially be willing to make things ugly by sitting out for the 2025 NFL season. That, of course, would be a worst-case scenario for all sides involved, so hopefully it doesn't come to that.
If the Bengals were to trade Hendrickson, they would likely do so prior to the draft, so they could potentially add some additional picks in a return package. So, this will be a story to continue to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.