The Cincinnati Bengals’ off-season spending spree didn’t include a new deal for Trey Hendrickson and now the All-Pro defensive end says communications with the team have broken down completely.
‘No communication has taken place between my camp and the organization post draft,’ Hendrickson told ESPN in a statement. ‘The offers prior to the draft did not reflect the vision we shared and were promised last offseason if I continued to play at a high level.
‘Coaches are aware of these past conversations,’ he continued. ‘Rather than using collaboration to get us to a point to bring me home to the team, THEY are no longer communicating. I have been eagerly awaiting a resolution of this situation, but that’s hard to do when there is no discussion and an evident lack of interest in reaching mutual goals.’
Hendrickson, 30, has been seeking a contract extension in Cincinnati, where Bengals receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins recently signed new deals totaling a combined $276 million and leaving the team with precious little cap space.
The team did add defensive end Shemar Stewart in the first round of last month’s NFL Draft, but lost another major talent at the position in Sam Hubbard, a Cincinnati native who retired in March.
Hendrickson signed an extension in 2023 that will keep him in tiger stripes through the 2025 season, where he will make a base salary of $15.8 million and count for $18.6 million against Cincinnati’s cap number.
The Cincinnati Bengals ‘ off-season spending spree didn’t include a new deal for Trey Hendrickson and now the All-Pro says communications with the team have broken down
The son of team founder and coach Paul Brown, Mike Brown has been accused of being cheap
Prior to the draft, the Bengals gave Hendrickson permission to seek a trade, but within weeks those talks were off the table, according to Fox Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
The former Florida Atlantic standout sounded optimistic about a new deal in early April despite struggling to come to terms with the Bengals.
‘I wouldn’t call it frustrating,’ Hendrickson told WLWT Cincinnati. ‘It gives me an opportunity to prove my worth every season.’
A two-time All-Pro selection, Hendrickson recorded 18 sacks in each of his last two seasons in Cincinnati, where he signed in 2021.
‘I’ve been able to achieve All-Pro honors, Pro Bowl honors,’ he told WLWT. ‘It’s been a heck of a ride and to play with some of the most talented players in the league like Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Sam Hubbard, Logan Wilson, BJ Hill, I could list every player, Ted Karras is on that list too.
‘I’m just tremendously blessed, the relationships I’ve made. How ever it shakes out, there’s nowhere I’d rather be.’
Daily Mail has reached out to Bengals spokespeople for comment.
The Bengals still have $27 million in cap space, although they still have to sign this year’s draft picks.
Team owner Mike Brown has long been criticized for being cheap, often shying away from offering players guaranteed money. However, $112 million of Chase’s new deal is reportedly guaranteed, while the first two seasons of Higgins’ contract are as well.
