
A Trey Hendrickson trade continues to appear unlikely.
The Cincinnati Bengals are still in a tough spot with star defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson has been clear about wanting a new contract with guarantees and a deserved pay raise, but the two sides haven’t reached an agreement yet.
The team did give Hendrickson permission to seek a trade back in March, but as of now, no team has been able to meet both the Bengals’ demands for trade compensation and Hendrickson’s desired contract.
La Canfora mentions that “numerous” teams have offered mid-round picks for Hendrickson, but the Bengals have stayed firm on wanting a first-round pick in exchange for the league leader in sacks from a season ago.
The Bengals have maintained that they want to retain Hendrickson, and when speaking publicly, he makes it sound like he would like to remain in Cincinnati but at a higher rate than the $21 million he is projected to earn this season.
With a projected $85 million in cap space for 2026, the Bengals should have the flexibility to get something done with Hendrickson, but each day that passes without a resolution is another day where he will be mentioned in trade talks.