Hendrickson Dispute Revives Bengals’ Old Negotiation Tactics
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson remains on the sidelines with Week 1 of the NFL season just two weeks away. The 30-year-old and the Bengals' front office are locked in a stalemate over the amount of guaranteed money he should receive as part of a multiyear extension.
Hendrickson has said he will not play until he receives a new contract that he believes reflects his value. In 2024, Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 total sacks, marking the second year in a row he hit that figure; additionally, he's been named to four consecutive Pro Bowls.
More from Sportico.com- Commanders Tap Local AI Firm for Training Facility Naming Rights
- Sporticast 476: The Unpopular Truth About Aaron Rodgers' Helmet
- Aaron Rodgers Helmet Shuffle Heads NFL Gear-Safety Debate
Bengals fans are familiar with these kinds of contentious negotiations involving a star player. But the notion that team owner Mike Brown doesn't pay market value for top talent was laid to rest (at least briefly) when the franchise inked wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to record-setting deals in March that made the duo as the highest-paid receiver pairing in the NFL.
Since taking care of quarterback Joe Burrow's favorite targets, however, the front office has returned to heated negotiations with others on the roster. This includes first-round draft pick Shemar Stewart, who waged a prolonged holdout over contract language before finally agreeing to terms in late July.
The Bengals have a good team, and a team in that situation usually says OK, we're going for it,'" NFL agent Brad Blank said in an interview. They'll sign a few big contracts and do whatever it takes to try to win a Super Bowl. They were doing that, until [Stewart] and Hendrickson, where they resorted back to their old ways of being tough on this stuff."
Hendrickson ended his holdout last month and has returned to practice but isn't participating. It's a common tactic-sometimes known as a hold-in"-to avoid fines and distance from teammates as one seeks a new extension.
On Monday night, Hendrickson told ESPN that his representation and the Bengals are in a close agreement over contract length and total average annual salary. But the amount of guaranteed money-Cincinnati does not want to offer Hendrickson guaranteed money after the first year of his extension-have led to this impasse with the team's season opener against the Cleveland Browns fast-approaching.
Guarantees are so important," Blank said. Average per year doesn't mean much if you're not going to get the money... That's become the measuring stick on all these big contracts. How much was guaranteed."
Hendrickson, who is set to earn $16 million this season, wants a deal that resembles what the league's top pass rushers receive. Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt and Cleveland's Myles Garrett recently inked contracts that pay them at least $40 million per year. But if Hendrickson were to get that much, it may have to come from another team; at the beginning of the offseason, the Bengals granted Hendrickson the ability to find a team that would trade for him and give him the contract he wants.
Brown has suggested a middle ground can be found.
We aren't going to trade [Hendrickson]," the owner told reporters last month. We're working to get [him] signed as we speak. ... It always gets done, and I think this one will, but we'll see. I've been proven wrong before, but I'm pretty confident that we'll get there at the end."
Duke Tobin, the team's director of player personnel, had a similar sentiment when he was asked about Hendrickson. Hendrickson and Tobin were seen on the field chatting before the Bengals preseason game against the Washington Commanders on Monday night in Landover, Md.
Hopefully we can get this thing going to where he's active, up and running and helping the Cincinnati Bengals and his teammates win games," Tobin said on Sirius XM radio last week.
Before 2024, Cincinnati had not ranked in the top five of total cap allocation since 2016. The NFL's collective bargaining agreement calls for all teams to spend 89% of the available cap per year and 95% on average over a four-year period.
As a result, owners cannot be significantly cheaper with rosters than their peers, adding nuance to the often-negative discussions surrounding Brown's spending. Of course, payouts are only part of the equation. Negotiation tactics are another-and here, it seems some things never change in Cincinnati.
Recognition's not something I'm chasing," Hendrickson told reporters last month. It's not. I think I've made my statements clear. Security is something that I value, and [telling] my wife where we're going to play. Those are the things that matter to me."
Best of Sportico.com- NFL Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From Cowboys to Bengals
- Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025?
- Browns Officially Get Public Money for New Stadium in Ohio Budget
Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.