Trey Hendrickson Cincinnati Bengals
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Trey Hendrickson #91 of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Ahead of the NFL trade deadline, one team that seemed very likely to make a major move was the Cincinnati Bengals, with star defensive end Trey Hendrickson being a hot commodity, as several teams were expressing interest in his services.
The Dallas Cowboys appeared to be the team most interested in acquiring Hendrickson in a trade, as they were desperately seeking ways to significantly upgrade their defense with a game-changer like the 30-year-old pass rusher.
However, the NFL trade deadline came and went on Nov. 4, with Hendrickson still a member of the Bengals organization once the dust settled, which was surprising, to say the least.
Bengals’ Reason for Not Trading Trey Hendrickson Revealed
Trey Hendrickson Cincinnati Bengals
GettyTrey Hendrickson #91 of the Cincinnati Bengals.
With the Bengals’ biggest weakness being on the defensive side of the football, it doesn’t make too much sense to sign arguably their best player on defense. However, Cincinnati was taking calls, with many believing Hendrickson would be on the move.
Ultimately, the Bengals brass chose not to trade Hendrickson, and Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic revealed why that choice was made to hold onto the four-time Pro Bowler.
The Bengals were listening, as they always do, but their asking price never changed from what it has been since trade offers were gauged for Hendrickson back in March. They wanted a first-round pick. The difference between Hendrickson and the other big fish was that he only has the rest of the season under contract. The others are solutions for the short and long haul.
The league never relented. The Bengals didn’t, either, as both sides likely anticipated, and everyone went about their day.
With Hendrickson staying put in Cincinnati, it’ll be interesting to see how things pan out for the franchise during the second half of the 2025 campaign, with the team getting a boost from veteran newcomer Joe Flacco. Unfortunately, the team continues to struggle to win games, as they are riding a two-game losing streak, with hopes for a playoff spot dwindling.
At 3-6, it’s highly unlikely that the Bengals make any noise moving forward, even if a healthy Joe Burrow gets back under center, but stranger things have happened in the NFL.
Brutal Schedule Ahead for Bengals
Joe Flacco Cincinnati Bengals
GettyJoe Flacco #16 of the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bengals have lost six of their last seven games, and the chances of making the NFL playoffs seem bleak, to say the least.
Even though Flacco has breathed new life into this Bengals offense with Burrow still on the mend, Cincinnati still hasn’t been able to close out games or improve enough to become a force to be reckoned with in the AFC.
As if things weren’t bad enough for the struggling Bengals, the team’s schedule only gets tougher in the second half of the 2025 campaign. Cincinnati has a much-needed bye week in Week 10, but then they’ll get back to work against the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11, followed by matchups against the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens (twice) and Buffalo Bills.
Needless to say, the chances of this struggling franchise even being competitive in those games seem slim, which could mean the season is essentially over unless there’s a drastic turnaround after their bye week.