Trey Hendrickson’s contract is facing delays. The Bengals have already extended Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins’ contracts for four more years. But what about Hendrickson?
Apparently, he has not reached an agreement with the team’s management. However, after securing Chase and Higgins’ deals, the Bengals’ salary cap is tight.
No real consensus
Trey Hendrickson is aiming for a $30 million per year contract, but can the team afford it? That seems to be the main issue right now. In fact, Bengals’ executive vice president, Katie Blackburn, hinted that the player should settle for the offer made by the team.
“We want to work on it with him and his agent. We’ll see where it goes… He should be happy at certain rates that he might not believe he’d be happy with,” Blackburn stated. This suggests that the offer might be around 60 to 70 percent of his actual market value.
Asked Bengals exec Katie Blackburn if the team and Trey Hendrickson could find a contract everything could be happy with after paying the WRs: pic.twitter.com/da0TgmIeFC
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) April 2, 2025
Additionally, she confirmed that signing the contract depends entirely on Trey Hendrickson. If there’s a delay, it’s because he has yet to decide whether to accept the team’s offer. “Part of it depends on him being happy at some point, and if he’s not, that’s what sometimes delays things. We need him to say yes to something,” Blackburn explained.
Joe Burrow and Zac Taylor weigh in
Joe Burrow stated, “We have all the respect in the world for him. He’s been a great player. We’re happy to have him. And so, maybe we’ll find a way to make something work. We’ll see where it goes.” He also urged fans and analysts to be patient while discussions continue.
Head coach Zac Taylor also shared his thoughts on Hendrickson: “I think he’s one of the best pass rushers in this league. Teams have to account for him when planning their game every week. He’s a guy who works hard every single day, 365 days a year, and I appreciate that.”
Despite all the praise, Hendrickson has yet to agree with the team. It remains to be seen whether he will give in to the team’s conditions or if both sides will reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
