Trey Hendrickson, a defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals, has reported that contract negotiations with the organization have come to a halt. Hendrickson is in the last year of his four-year, $60 million contract that he signed in 2021. An already precarious future with his team is now completely up in the air. The 30-year-old winger has been a game-changer since entering the league with the Bengals. He made Pro Bowl selections in all four of his seasons!
Hendrickson came to Cincinnati in 2021 as a free agent and made an immediate impact. Last season, he led the league with an impressive 17.5 sacks and was named to The Associated Press All-Pro team. His base salary during this season is $15.8 million, which makes sense given how dominant he’s been for them this season.
For all of his accomplishments, Hendrickson said he was disappointed by the lack of outreach on the communication for his franchise tag. When the Bengals refused to give him a long-term deal last offseason, he asked for a trade. He took objection, particularly, to the fact that between his camp and the organization, there has been zero dialogue since the NFL Draft.
“No communication has taken place between my camp and the organization post draft,” – Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson’s ire was further stoked by remarks made by Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn. She suggested that he should be satisfied with reimbursement rates that were below what he desired.
“I think he should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn’t think he’d be happy at,” – Katie Blackburn
Hendrickson feels that the team’s management has gone from a participatory to an adversarial approach. He made the point that the Bengals withdrew from all negotiations. Rather than working together towards a resolution that honored his efforts, they preferred to simply leave the table.
“Rather than using collaboration to get us to a point to bring me home to the team, THEY are no longer communicating,” – Trey Hendrickson
The defensive end’s sentiments are reflective of an increasing, league-wide frustration amongst players with the state of contract negotiations and player-team relationships. Simply put, Hendrickson isn’t out to be the league’s highest-paid defensive end. Instead, he’s looking for a market-setting agreement that accurately represents his value and production to the Bengals organization.
And with the new season ahead, Hendrickson’s eyes are set on the field and not on any future franchise tag scenario. He has long established himself as one of the top players in the cornerback position, earning respect all over the league. Hendrickson’s success or failure will no doubt be a model for future negotiations, both with the Bengals and with other outside candidates.
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