Trey Hendrickson Reportedly Won't Report to Bengals Training Camp Amid Contract Talks

Star pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson told ESPN's Adam Schefter that he will not report to Cincinnati Bengals training camp Tuesday amid his push for a new contract.

Back in May, Hendrickson told reporters that he would not play for the Bengals in 2025 without a new deal, and he remains dug in after missing voluntary OTAs and mandatory minicamp.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, talks between Hendrickson and the Bengals "broke down" recently due to a disagreement on guaranteed money, and Hendrickson indicated in an Instagram post on Tuesday that he left Ohio for his home state of Florida:

Schefter added that the main sticking point in negotiations between the two sides is that the Bengals have only been willing to offer Hendrickson one year of guaranteed money, whereas other top pass-rushers such as Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby and T.J. Watt have received three years of guaranteed money in their recent new deals.

Fox Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz noted that in addition to guarantees, the Bengals and Hendrickson are at odds when it comes to the length of the contract as well.

Hendrickson told NFL Network's Manti Te'o that the Bengals' current offer is "atrociously low."

Hendrickson, 30, originally signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Bengals in 2021, and he extended the deal by one year in 2023, bringing it through the 2025 campaign.

The former Florida Atlantic standout has far outplayed that deal, earning Pro Bowl honors in each of his four seasons in Cincinnati.

Hendrickson has recorded 57 sacks in 65 games as a member of the Bengals organization, giving him a total of 77 career sacks when factoring in his four seasons with the New Orleans Saints.

He has registered 17.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons, and that number was good enough to lead the league in 2025. As a result, Hendrickson secured his first career First Team All-Pro selection, and he finished second in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Hendrickson requested a trade last offseason due to a contract stalemate, but he eventually reported to the team and went on to enjoy a career year.

The two sides are in a similar situation this year, but Hendrickson comments and actions thus far suggest he may not give in this time around.

Despite having a high-powered offense led by quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the Bengals went just 9-8 last season and missed the playoffs for a second straight year.

That was due largely to their defensive deficiencies, as they ranked 25th in the league in both total defense and scoring defense.

That was with Hendrickson wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks, so going into the 2025 season without Hendrickson is a scary proposition for the Bengals, as no other player on the team had more than five sacks last season.

If things weren't bad enough, the Bengals' first-round pick, Texas A&M pass-rusher Shemar Stewart, is also holding out. He is the last first-round pick who has yet to sign, and the hope for Cincinnati was that he and Hendrickson could form a dynamic duo.

Bengals owner Mike Brown said Monday that he thinks a new deal with Hendrickson will "get done," per ESPN's Ben Baby. However, until then, Cincinnati is severely lacking up front and in danger of entering the season with a defensive line devoid of playmakers.