Trey Hendrickson, the elite pass rusher for the Cincinnati Bengals, just waiting to ball out in his last contract year. He’ll make an astounding $16 million this coming season. Now at 30 years of age, Hendrickson is deserving of a long-term extension. He would rather see that than anyone extending an existing contract with their current agency. Here’s why the Bengals have leaped back into negotiations on his future with the team. They are enamored with his incredible breakout 2022 season.
In 2024, Hendrickson ran roughshod over the NFL, earning an NFL-record 17.5 sacks. His incredible performance landed him All-Pro accolades and established him as one of the best defensive players in the league. The former second overall pick has produced a staggering 43 sacks over the last three seasons. Hendrickson held out of all offseason workouts including the mandatory minicamp. Due to that absence, he incurred fines of nearly $105,000 for not attending the three-day res session.
Communication was key During a recent news conference, Hendrickson tackled his contract home with one word— communication. He said all that can be different when there’s no communication, no conversation, no dialogue.
“When there’s a lack of communication in any relationship, where it’s a business or personal relationship, lack of communication leads to animosity, and that leaves my narrative only to me with no clear direction.” – Trey Hendrickson
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor has repeatedly gone out of his way to show support for Hendrickson. He was adamant about one thing: retaining high achievers as part of the team.
“I think anytime you have great players, you want them to be around.” – Zac Taylor
Look no further than what Bengals’ star quarterback, Joe Burrow, said this week in reflecting on the news. He compared the difficulty of contract negotiations in the NFL to rocket science.
“You’d love to have [no contract disputes], but that’s life in the NFL.” – Joe Burrow
Hendrickson, a Grapevine, Texas native, earned a journalism bachelor’s from the University of North Texas. His academic acumen rounds out his ability on the field and helps explain his exceptionally articulate manner during negotiations.
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