Trey Hendrickson Reportedly Won't Compromise on Contract Price amid New Rumors in NFL Free Agency

After going unsigned on the first day of free agency, Trey Hendrickson is reportedly looking to maximize his earnings whenever he does decide on a new team.

Appearing on Tuesday's episode of Get Up, ESPN's Adam Schefter explained that Hendrickson is in contact with multiple teams right now but has no intention of taking a discounted deal:

"He's been in contact with a number of teams right now. The issue, I think, is this. You see the Houston Texans go out an give Danielle Hunter a $40 million a year extension. You see yesterday the Carolina Panthers shock the NFL and give Jaelan Phillips $30 million a year. Trey Hendrickson sees himself in the company of those kinds of players. And so, you would think there would be a corresponding contract in that vicinity but if there's not a team out there that's willing to give you $40 million or $30 million, sometimes it takes a player a little bit of time to understand how the market works like that and to accept that just because Danielle Hunter might get $40 million, you might not get $40 million. Just because Jaelan Phillips gets $30 million, doesn't mean you get $30 million. And so right now, he's talking to a bunch of teams but nobody has met his price just yet and he's a very strong-minded, prideful person, he wants to get his price and until he feels like he does, he's not willing to compromise on that."

CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones later reported there are teams that "said the gap between what he wanted and what they were willing to pay was close to $10 million per year."

Hendrickson entered the offseason as arguably the top available pass-rusher on the market.

That particular corner of free agency hit a surprisingly high level on Monday when Jaelan Phillips agreed to a four-year, $120 million contract with the Carolina Panthers that includes $80 million in guaranteed money.

Phillips is five years younger than Hendrickson and is coming off a strong year split between the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles, but the resumes of the two players don't really compare.

Hendrickson had one more quarterback hit (eight) and one fewer sack (four) in seven games than Phillips did in 17 games. He averaged 14 sacks and 13 tackles for loss over a five season span from 2020 to '24.

Coming off the core-muscle injury that required surgery and being 31 years old, Hendrickson would seem unlikely to get a four-year deal like Phillips did. But he can reasonably ask for more money on a per-year basis.

There are still several teams that need help along the defensive line, including the Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills.

Hendrickson would significantly improve the chances for any of those clubs to make a playoff push in 2026 if they want to give him the type of deal that he is seeking.