With reports emerging Thursday that All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson may be prepared to extend his holdout into the regular season, the Cincinnati Bengals are now under greater pressure to address his contract situation swiftly.
Hendrickson is seeking a new agreement that aligns his pay with other top-tier defensive ends in the NFL. After topping the league in sacks last year, he’s built a strong case for a raise.
However, the Bengals haven’t shown much urgency in adjusting their initial offer. Hendrickson has made his frustration known by skipping OTAs and publicly criticizing the front office’s handling of his extension talks. Yet, there’s still no real movement.
One reason for the delay could be that Cincinnati is waiting for the rest of the pass-rusher market to take shape. Two notable names to monitor are Aidan Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions and Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys.
According to one Bengals source, the team may be holding off until Hutchinson’s new contract terms are announced before making a revised offer to Hendrickson. Detroit’s financial situation closely mirrors Cincinnati’s.
The Lions recently handed out large deals to key offensive players—quarterback Jared Goff, wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, and offensive tackle Penei Sewell. The Bengals, likewise, have extended QB Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Now, both franchises face the challenge of negotiating with their top edge rusher while staying within salary cap limits.
Since entering the league as the No. 2 pick in 2022, Hutchinson has quickly made an impact. He posted eight sacks in five games last season before suffering a broken leg that ended his campaign early.
Despite that setback, Hutchinson’s 22 sacks over his first two seasons were enough for Detroit to exercise his 2025 option and buy additional time to work on a lucrative extension.
Now, both Hutchinson and Hendrickson are heading into contract years—though Hendrickson has declared he won’t take the field under his current terms.
Detroit might look to sign Hutchinson for a contract in the mid-$30 million per year range. Cincinnati could then consider offering Hendrickson less, as he’s nearly six years older and carries more risk of injury.
If Hutchinson signs a deal in the high $20 millions to low $30 millions annually, it could validate the Bengals’ current offer of $28 million per year as being competitive for a top-end edge rusher.
While salaries for Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby are significantly higher, those teams may have paid a premium due to their roles as franchise cornerstones—essential for fan engagement and branding.
This line of reasoning might be a stretch, but Garrett and Crosby’s performance certainly supports their high value on the field.
So it’s understandable why Cincinnati might wait to see Hutchinson’s deal shape the market—though the twist is that Detroit isn’t in any hurry to finalize one.
