Joe Burrow Says Trey Hendrickson 'Deserves to Get Paid' Amid Bengals Contract Talks

Having previously vouched for Tee Higgins to get paid by the Cincinnati Bengals, Joe Burrow is now stepping up for Trey Hendrickson amid his contract standoff with the organization.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Burrow addressed Hendrickson's contract by saying he "deserves to get paid" based on how important he is to Cincinnati's defense.

The Bengals signing both Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase to new deals this offseason seemed to signal a new direction for the franchise and owner Mike Brown after many years when they were accused of being cheap.

It turns out the narrative around Brown shouldn't completely shift at this point. Hendrickson and 2025 first-round pick Shemar Stewart are both having contract issues with the club.

Hendrickson's situation has gotten to a point where the player and team are airing their grievances in public. The four-time Pro Bowler held an impromptu press conference last week during the club's voluntary minicamp to explain his side of the matter.

Hendrickson noted tensions with the Bengals reached a new level when head coach Zac Taylor told him via text message on May 12 that missing mandatory minicamp next month (June 10-12) would result in him being fined.

"We've tried to keep it as least amount as personal as possible, but at some point in this process it's becomes personal," Hendrickson said. "Being sent 30 days before mandatory camp, or how many ever days it is, that if I don't show up I will be fined alludes to the fact that something won't get done in that time frame."

Per ESPN's Dan Graziano, a big point of contention between Hendrickson and the Bengals is potentially over guaranteed money because the team has historically not included any guarantees beyond the first year.

Graziano noted the Bengals did break that rule in their extensions for Burrow, Chase and Higgins, but it seems unlikely they are willing to do that for Hendrickson.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported on Saturday that Cincinnati's most recent offer to Hendrickson was for $28 million per season, though it's unclear what type of structure the deal entails.

A $28 million average annual salary would make Hendrickson the eighth-highest-paid defensive end in the NFL, just behind Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt ($28,002,750).

Hendrickson is entering the final season of his current contract with a $15.8 million base salary. The 30-year-old was named to the All-Pro first team last season after leading the NFL with 17.5 sacks, accounting for nearly half of the Bengals' total sacks (36.0).

Since signing with the Bengals in March 2021, Hendrickson's 57 sacks are the third-most in the league.