NFL Rumors: Trey Hendrickson, Bengals Contract Talks 'Stalled' amid Trade Buzz

The Cincinnati Bengals handled their first order of business this offseason, re-signing wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and tight end Mike Gesicki to extensions, moved pretty clearly designed to keep quarterback Joe Burrow happy.

Up next on the docket, however, is finding resolution with star edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson, whether that be on a new contract or via a trade. And for the moment, the two sides are reportedly at something of a standstill.

"He has no intention of playing under his current contract, which has one year and $16 million left. He needs a new deal, but the Bengals have just simply not shown an eagerness to trade Hendrickson," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday on SportsCenter. "And there's interest, there is trade interest from other teams trying to make this work, but it would take a really hefty trade package. Teams aren't willing to do that and pay Hendrickson right now. So, as much as I want to go with the field, I still think they can work something out, Hendrickson and the Bengals, on a new deal. It's been stagnant of late, it's sort of stalled, but they have a couple of months at least to try to shake this out and get a new deal done."

Hendrickson, 30, will argue that he just led the NFL in sacks (17.5) in 2024 and has a whopping 70.5 sacks over the past five seasons, emerging as one of the NFL's premier pass-rushers. In turn, he wants to be paid like one, which would mean a contract with an average annual value over $35 million, not the $22 million AAV on his current deal.

The Bengals may argue that between his age and their current cap crunch—given the massive contracts for Burrow, Chase and Higgins—that they simply can't afford those types of prices.

Eventually something will give, whether that's Cincinnati's asking price in potential trades or both sides giving up some concessions in contract negotiations. For the time being, however, a resolution doesn't appear imminent.