One of the biggest storylines of the NFL offseason was the Cincinnati Bengals and the holdout of star Edge Rusher Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson seemed to be the only bright spot on what was a horrific Bengals defense, totaling 17.5 sacks to lead the NFL. His new contract is reportedly a one-year, $30 million deal. He will receive a $14 million raise and is still set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Can he live up to the expectations?
Why Is It a Short-Term Solution?
Neither side wanted this to continue any longer, and both want to win. Hendrickson didn’t want it to get to a point where he was missing games during the season, which would’ve only hurt his price tag if he were to become a free agent. The Bengals, on the other hand, know this is the time to push all of the chips in to win a Super Bowl. By doing this, Hendrickson will make himself one of the most-coveted free agents in the league. He will also bet on himself to deliver in a contract year.
The Bengals showed that they had reservations about giving Hendrickson lots of guaranteed money over his next deal, so this will at least protect them for this season. It is also a huge gamble. If Hendrickson has a monster year, he’s going to get PAID, and could walk for nothing if the asking price is too high for Cincinnati to meet.
And to their credit, the Bengals were busy on the extension front this offseason. They were able to extend Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and, although it doesn’t solve the issue long term, handled the Trey Hendrickson situation.
Will Hendrickson Become the Highest-Paid DE?
It is definitely possible that Hendrickson could become the highest-paid defensive end in the NFL in March. Teams such as the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, and Atlanta Falcons could all be suitors for Hendrickson if he does become an unrestricted free agent.
His next contract is going to be an expensive one. He will most likely earn around $27-30 million per year. If he does earn an amount close to this, I don’t see a way that the Bengals find a way contractually to make it work while continuing to add defensively.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I think it works well for both sides. It gets Hendrickson back out on the field immediately. As for the Bengals, this move could come back to haunt them. It was reported that many teams were in on the star pass rusher via trade, but the Bengals chose to keep him in hopes of getting a long-term deal done in the future.
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