The Cincinnati Bengals and defensive end Trey Hendrickson appear to be ready to part ways this offseason. After two contentious offseasons trying to negotiate a long-term contract extension, the two sides were never able to agree on anything beyond a raise for the 2025 season.
After missing most of the season with an injury, Hendrickson is set to hit the open market when the new league year begins in March, unless the Bengals were to franchise tag him. At this point, that seems unlikely, as both sides seem to be ready to make a clean break.
Hendrickson will have plenty of suitors on the market an Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay projects that Hendrickson will sign with the Bengals’ AFC North rivals, the Baltimore Ravens.
“The Ravens will be looking to make a splash in free agency to open the post-John Harbaugh era,” Kay wrote. “With Jesse Minter now at the helm, Baltimore could steal Hendrickson away from an AFC North rival and deploy him as the centerpiece of a pass-rushing unit that must improve in 2026. Baltimore’s 30 sacks this past season tied for the third-fewest in the league and marked a significant regression from the 54—the second-most in the NFL—the team amassed the prior year.
Hendrickson has been incredibly productive since signing with the Bengals in 2021, so watching him leave would be tough for fans, regardless, but to see him leave for a division rival would really sting. The Bengals aren’t likely to use the $34 million franchise tag on the 31-year-old, so that would leave him free to sign with any team.
Naturally, the thought of playing Hendrickson twice a year doesn’t sound great, but it could be a real possibility in about a month and a half…
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