The Bengals and defensive end Trey Hendrickson continue their impasse. The organization’s leverage comes from the fact that it doesn’t care if Hendrickson shows up. The player’s case is boosted by public support from key players like quarterback Joe Burrow and receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
Still, the two sides don’t see eye to eye. And without a new deal, Hendrickson will have to decide whether to play for $16 million in 2025.
The Bengals, we’ve heard, have offered a long-term deal with a new-money average of $28 million per year. Hendrickson is believed to be eyeing Maxx Crosby money ($35.5 million annually) or close to it.
The total years don’t matter. The structure does. Will Hendrickson get two years of fully-guaranteed pay? Three? Or will the Bengals want to do a year-to-year deal.
The money only tells part of the story. Last summer, the Bengals were willing to give Chase a market-level deal. The structure, however, stunk.
It ultimately comes down to whether the Bengals are willing to ignore influential voices like Burrow, and whether Hendrickson is willing to incur the price tag of taking a stand.
The key date is June 10. Will Hendrickson show up for the mandatory minicamp? Then, the question will be whether he reports to training camp.
Through it all, the two sides would be wise to work things out. The Bengals need to avoid another slow start; they need to have their key players ready to go when Week 1 comes along.
A trade is unlikely. Hendrickson had his chance to line up a deal. No one wanted to pay him what he wanted. If that was the case early in the offseason, it’s even stronger now. And the Bengals’ resolve is strong; Hendrickson [risks being this year’s Haason Reddick](https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/trey-hendrickson-if-he-doesnt-blink-is-on-track-to-be-haason-reddick-2-0) if he stays away.
But Hendrickson’s resolve is strong, too. And the comments of his teammates will only make it stronger.
“He’s an amazing player, man,” Chase told reporters earlier this week. “I mean, everyone sees it. We all see what he does to this team, the energy he brought back the day he came in. [We all know he deserves it](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45362772/nfl-bengals-trey-hendrickson-contract-holdout).”
The players know it. The organization doesn’t, at least not yet. Whether that changes remains to be seen.