Trey Hendrickson Trade Reportedly Now Being Considered by Bengals Before NFL Deadline

The Cincinnati Bengals reportedly hadn't planned to trade defensive end Trey Hendrickson, but the team is suddenly giving a new answer to opposing teams.

Jay Glazer of Fox Sports provided the latest info:

ESPN's Adam Schefter also reportedly Sunday that rival teams are wondering if that plan might change if the team falls to 3-6 on Sunday with a loss to the Chicago Bears.

Hendrickson, an impending free agent, issued a trade request this offseason amid a contract dispute, but the 2024 sack leader eventually stayed aboard after agreeing to a reworked contract that led to a $14 million raise in 2025 ($30 million total salary).

Hendrickson is in his ninth NFL season. He began his career with the New Orleans Saints before signing in free agency with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021.

The Bengals' move has paid off, as Hendrickson has made the Pro Bowl in each of his four full seasons in Cincinnati. He also helped the Bengals win the AFC in 2021 and reach the AFC Championship Game in 2022.

Hendrickson tallied 57 sacks and 112 quarterback hits from 2021-2024. He had 17.5 sacks in both 2023 and 2024 and earned his first-ever appearance on an All-Pro team in the latter campaign.

This season, Hendrickson has four sacks, eight quarterback hits and 16 tackles in seven games. His numbers have tailed a bit from previous years, but he's still a feared pass-rusher who opposing teams must account for on a weekly basis.

As far as Hendrickson's Bengals future goes, it's very possible that he leaves town for good this offseason if the team does not trade him. Efforts to strike a long-term deal were unsuccessful, but now Hendrickson would now be free to find that contract elsewhere.

So, in theory, the Bengals could trade him now and get a return before the deadline. However, in a weak AFC North, where the Pittsburgh Steelers lead the division at 4-3, the Bengals are still alive in the race. They did just lose to the previously winless Jets and sport the league's worst scoring defense, but the offense has sprung to life of late under recent acquisition Joe Flacco, who is standing in at quarterback with Joe Burrow out with a turf toe injury.

As far as rumors are concerned, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Wednesday that other teams' overtures have been shut down.

"Up to this point, the Bengals have rebuffed trade inquiries, and sources have maintained that Cincinnati has no plans to trade Hendrickson right now," Fowler wrote. "The Cowboys and 49ers are among the interested teams, though San Francisco made a move for a pass rusher Tuesday night."

Fowler also wondered whether a loss to the Bears could change matters.

"The question becomes: Will the Bengals' win-loss record change things? A loss to Chicago on Sunday would drop Cincinnati to 3-6. The AFC North should remain wide open for a while -- an 8-9 or 9-8 record might be good enough this season -- so perhaps the Bengals cling to that hope and retain their premier edge rusher. But teams will most likely keep trying to pry Hendrickson away, especially after Sunday's upset loss to the Jets."

For now, Hendrickson remains a Bengal, but we'll see if that changes in the next couple days.