Tuesday marked the beginning of the Bengals’ mandatory minicamp. In a development which comes as little surprise, the team’s top remaining extension priority is absent. 
Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson is away from the team, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The reigning sack leader has been engaged in a long-running stalemate with Cincinnati over an extension. One year remains on his contract, but planned talks on a major raise have not resulted in much progress toward an agreement.
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The most recent effort on the Bengals’ part came when the team reached out to Hendrickson’s camp yesterday, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. She adds, though, that the latest communication between the parties did not yield traction on the extension front. Head coach Zac Taylor previously alerted Hendrickson to the threat of fines for skipping this week’s minicamp. That move prompted a public airing of grievances from the All-Pro, who said last month he will not play under his existing pact.
Plenty of time remains to see if that will end up holding true, but team and player are not in a favorable position at this point. Hendrickson was unable to generate talks on a new deal last offseason, and the Bengals dismissed the trade request which followed. The 30-year-old upped his leverage with a second straight 17.5-sack campaign in 2024, although his stance of preferring to remain in Cincinnati has no doubt hindered his efforts to approach the top of the EDGE market.
$40MM per season now represents the ceiling for the position’s market. It is unclear what Hendrickson and his camp have listed as an asking price, but it was recently reported the Bengals have yet to offer a pact at or around $35MM on average. Cincinnati has already committed to big-ticket receiver deals this offseason (with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins each receiving four-year contracts), and Hendrickson always represented the No. 3 priority on that front.
Unlike 2024, the four-time Pro Bowler received permission to seek a trade this offseason. Plenty of interest has been shown, but at this point a deal sending him out of Cincinnati is not expected. With Hendrickson due to collect $16MM as things stand, a holdout will remain on the table in the absence of progress on an extension agreement. Presuming he remains absent for all three days of minicamp, Hendrickson will be subject to over $104K in fines.
One of the least unexpected things to happen this off-season.
He’s not getting nor is he worth $35 mil/season.
He need to quit being a cry baby and honor the last year of his contract.
@bigredsfan. They promised him a new deal. Even going back to last season. They need to pay him or trade him.
No they don’t. He’s under a contract. An extension he signed. He can finish out and then become a free agent
How do they expect him to turn up for mini camp when he can’t afford the gas to get there. He’s only due to get 16 million this year. How can a man be expected to raise a family, feed them and keep a roof over their heads on only 16 freaking million. Poor guy probably can’t even afford to take his family out to Frisch’s for dinner. I think we should have a group cry for poor ole Trey and sing “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen, nobody knows my sorrow,” which I believe is his theme song. I guess he’ll have to apply for food stamps and welfare now, just because Mike Brown expects him to play for the amount he signed for.