While Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals have resumed extension talks, the parties still do not appear to close to an agreement. With other monster edge rush deals looming, a waiting game could ensue which has an impact on the 2024 NFL sack leader. 
[RELATED: Bengals Prefer One-Year Hendrickson Extension]
Micah Parsons has yet to sign a Cowboys extension, one which could move him to the top of the pecking order amongst edge rushers (and, quite possibly, all non-quarterbacks). At the age of 26, Parsons is preparing to land his second career contract. That factor makes his situation somewhat different than that of Hendrickson or Steelers All-Pro T.J. Watt.
The latter is entering his age-31 season, something which is also the case for Hendrickson. Both could be looking at similar deals with their respective teams as a result. With training camp approaching, though, considerable work on both fronts is still needed to hammer out an agreement. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted during a recent Rich Eisen Show appearance (video link) that Hendrickson could aim to wait for Watt’s deal in particular (and perhaps Parsons’ as well) before signing his own with the Bengals.
Unlike last offseason, Cincinnati gave Hendrickson permission to seek a trade. Offers came in, but the team’s asking price of a first-round pick (or a package of similar value) was not met. No trade is currently expected, although it remains to be seen if the four-time Pro Bowler will report to training camp in the absence of an extension. Hendrickson skipped mandatory minicamp, drawing fines in the process. The same would be true if he were to engage in a training camp holdout.
Pelissero confirms Hendrickson is not seeking to match the value of Myles Garrett‘s Browns extension (which checks in at a market-topping $40MM per season on average). The Bengals’ best known offer to date has not reached the $35MM-per-year mark, a value which would place him in the next financial tier for veteran pass rushers. Watt could also be in line for a Steelers pact worth roughly that amount if/when he and the team can reach agreement on a third pact.
In each of these cases, there is still time to avoid potential absences or missed practice reps during training camp. With the EDGE market positioned to move once more late in the offseason, though, it will certainly be interesting to see how one deal affects the others. Given Hendrickson’s impact on a Bengals defense which struggled even with him in place last season, he could especially look to leverage the Watt situation for a multi-year commitment.
The Bengals aren’t going to pay him for two or three years why can’t he understand that? Take your raise from 15 to 30 million get 20 sacks and get paid by some desperate team next year. You can’t force your employer to keep you on any longer than they want you. If the job is over you can’t tell them you are going to stay, that’ll get you escorted out of the building. This guy has already burned his bridges with management and a lot of fans, why would he want to stay where he isn’t wanted? As far as Sh**Mar and his hold out. I thought the clause about voiding years was something the Bengals were trying to start, turns out quite a few other teams have the same language in their contracts, it’s just the first time the Bengals have done it. I guess you have to start somewhere and Sh**Mar drew the unlucky straw.
Except clearly that’s not the way his camp is calculating the potential losses. If he doesn’t get the market deal with the guaranteed money he wants this year and misses any portion of the season next year the potential losses once a team uses that against him could be incalculable. He’s healthy now. He earned the contract now. He wants paid now. It’s not that outrageous of a position if you’re planning for your future. Let’s look at this from a noble perspective… he could potentially build an estate that impacts an additional generation of his family as opposed to when he’s a year older and potentially less valuable as a commodity. The market is there, the problem is the organization that holds his rights. At this level of money, of business, Hendrickson is no longer an individual he’s an investment team. He’s bigger than an additional 25k raise from his boss and a new title. He’s responsible for an entire group of people at this point and the Bengals are choosing to play hardball. Which is also their right even if it seems to be a poor long term business strategy. But don’t confuse this with “take your 30 mill and be happy”. I guarantee you nobody in his camp is thinking that way and if they are the union might suggest removing that person from the room.
And I think you’re massively overestimating how many people are in the Bengals side when it comes to salary negotiations. But if you want to support the bad reputation billionaires then I guess that’s your prerogative much like Trey and the Bengals have there’s.
I don’t know one intelligent Bengals fan who thinks the Bengals should give Trey the contract he wants. It makes no sense for the Bengals. If Trey wants to skip this upcoming season and lose $26-$30M or whatever they offered him, then thats his prerogative.
TJ13- It doesn’t matter much what HE wants. The Bengals are in control of his pay and how long he plays there. If I sign a contract to coach a high school team for 1 year and at the end of that contract I am not offered another contract I can’t stay in the job and demand to be paid. They want him for a year and that’s it, and he’s already signed a contract for this year. I have been told if he sits out the whole year he still will not be a free agent because he will still owe them the contracted year he sat out. Basically he plays for the Bengals for 1 year or he retires, so he’s really not in a good place at all. Take his thirty and play or retire because he can’t go anywhere else unless the Bengals release him. He’s trying to intimidate the Bengals by airing his grievances in the press. Wrong thing to do with Mike Brown. He sees that as a lack of respect. He’s the boss and Trey is the employee, you don’t disrespect the man signing your paycheck. It all boils down to, he will play for the Bengals for 1 year at whatever they decide to pay him, or he can walk away and retire. If he sits out 2 years he will still owe the Bengals that last contracted year. He’s getting older by the day, so he can’t afford to sit out.
The Bengals are the cheapest franchise in the NFL. The guy deserves a contract extension. If he plays this year and gets hurt he’s screwed. He has earned it, pay the man his money or trade him. If he does a Laveon Bell type of holdout, the Bengals get nothing for him.
Bell & Hendrickson aren’t under the same contract situations. Bell got Franchise tagged, and simply refused to sign, and sat out the entire season. Being unsigned, they couldn’t penalize him with any sort of fines, plus the Franchise tag went up the next year. The Steelers would’ve had to increase their offer by 20% to Franchise tag him for a second year in a row, so they removed the tag in year two, & he signed with the Jets. Hendrickson is still under contract for one more year, & he’ll get fined for each day he misses when mandatory camp starts. With one year left on his contract, if he doesn’t play this year, he wouldn’t become a free agent next year. His best option is to take what he can get this year, & hit them where it hurts the most by signing with the Ravens next year, so he can try to beat them twice a year.