NFL Rumors: Trey Hendrickson, Bengals to Talk This Week Amid Contract, Trade Request

The Cincinnati Bengals and Trey Hendrickson are planning to talk this week after the veteran defensive end made it clear he's not happy with his contract situation.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday on the expected discussions and speculated that "maybe there's some optimism there."

Ben Baby of ESPN reported Wednesday that Hendrickson had requested a trade in the event Cincinnati isn't prepared to give him a worthwhile long-term extension.

The Cincinnati Enquirer's Kelsey Conway reported the three-time Pro Bowler even went so far as to hint he could retire altogether. That seems unlikely when he's not only still playing at a high level but also due to earn $30.6 million in base salary over the next two seasons.

There's no question Hendrickson is underpaid relative to his production. Since joining the Bengals in 2021, he has 39.5 sacks in 48 games. The four-year, $60 million pact he originally signed quickly became a bargain.

Because of that, the 29-year-old's general position is understandable. The trouble is, he doesn't have a ton of leverage and Cincinnati in recent years has held firm when locked in contract disputes with players.

Safety Jessie Bates III wasn't thrilled with getting franchise-tagged n 2022 but eventually reported to camp and played out the season. The trade request of offensive tackle Jonah Williams went nowhere last year. Wide receiver Tee Higgins, like Bates, looks set to grudgingly suit up on the one-year franchise tender.

Coming out of the 2024 NFL draft, head coach Zac Taylor offered some support to Hendrickson but made it clear he doesn't expect the edge-rusher to go anywhere.

The holdout by defensive tackle Chris Jones was the biggest offseason storyline surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs as they sought to defend their Super Bowl title in 2023. He even missed the team's season-opener.

But the Chiefs still went on to win a second straight title and Jones subsequently signed a massive deal this spring.

For the Bengals, it's a little too early to begin panicking about Hendrickson and how his discontent could affect their pursuit of success in 2024. Nipping this in the bud as quickly as possible would at least remove one source of drama hanging over the organization and perhaps affirm his long-term future in Cincinnati.