A whole lot of offseason drama involving Cincinnati Bengals superstar defensive end Trey Hendrickson culminated in a solid pay raise for 2025, but no long-term contract extension.
The stalemate between Hendrickson and the Bengals' front office dragged all the way through training camp, and the resolution was a mere Band-Aid on a larger issue. Hendrickson's future in Cincinnati beyond this season is tenuous at best.
Now that the Bengals are coming off a 48-10 loss to the Vikings in Week 3, speculation is buzzing about a potential Hendrickson trade. One respected expert with real NFL experience has weighed in on what a prospective deal could look like.
NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah breaks down bearish Trey Hendrickson trade market
In a podcast interview with Guy Haberman, longtime NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah outlined what he though Hendrickson's trade value would be. The San Francisco 49ers are a prime suitor in the wake of Nick Bosa's season-ending knee injury. Jeremiah's assessment paints a pretty ugly picture of the problems that lie ahead for Cincinnati's most important defensive player.
"At most you’re getting a two. You're probably getting a three, with a way to kick it up to it two would be my guess. The longer you wait, the more that that pick kind of drops. But yeah, I mean you could sit there and say, 'OK we're going to demand a two now because we know we'll be able to get a three at the deadline.' [...] I can't see with no Joe Burrow that they would they would turn down a two."
So OK, the concept of trading a player like Trey Hendrickson on a possibly-sinking team is fine on its face. However, this speaks once again to how badly the Bengals' brain trust has mismanaged the relationship and general handling of the whole situation.
Hendrickson was ready to be traded last offseason and requested as much so that he might get paid what he's worth elsewhere. He still played at an underpaid rate in 2024 and proceeded to lead the NFL in sacks. Cincinnati refused to shell out big money for him, or guarantee money beyond the first year of his would-be contract extension.
The time to trade Hendrickson, if ever, was before the 2025 NFL Draft. That way, the Bengals could've gotten a high pick from this year's class to ideally contribute to the team immediately. The front office decided instead to pseudo-hedge on Hendrickson by drafting Shemar Stewart in the first round, only to engage in an ugly holdout with him over offset contract language.
While I'm glad Hendrickson is in a Bengals uniform for now, the fact that he's being floated in trade rumors less than a month into the season is disconcerting. Stewart is on track to miss his second straight game with an ankle injury as it is, and Cincinnati has zero other viable pass-rushers other than Hendrickson anywhere on its defensive line.
The problem with trading a second- or third-round pick for 2026 is that it's a lottery ticket that makes the Bengals way worse in the present, and the likelihood of drafting a player as productive as Hendrickson with a Day 2 pick is silm to none.
Extending Hendrickson either last offseason or this latest one was clearly the way to go. It's a wonder Hendrickson has the class and professionalism to stick it out in Cincinnati, where he earns the bare minimum of respect from a seemingly ungrateful organization.
Regardless of how this season turns out, the Hendrickson drama will extend into the 2026 offseason. Or, you know, the Bengals will trade him for cents on the dollar and a draft lottery ticket whilst witnessing him dominate from afar on a Super Bowl contender.