Another standout Cincinnati Bengals player would like to move elsewhere.
All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson reportedly requested a trade while looking for a new contract ESPN’s Adam Schefter. His request comes just a month after wide receiver Tee Higgins’ request following the franchise tag.
Just a year ago, Hendrickson signed a one-year contract extension to complement the four-year, $60 million deal he got from the Bengals in free agency. That deal is one of the best deals the Bengals have ever signed, as Hendrickson followed up a strong contract year with the New Orleans Saints by remaining one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.
The Bengals currently have Hendrickson, 29, under contract for two more seasons, with base salaries of $14.8 million in 2024 and $15.8 million in 2025 plus $200,000 per game roster bonuses.
Hendrickson may request a trade because he believes he took another step forward last season. He posted a career-high 17.5 sacks, tied with Josh Allen of the Jacksonville Jaguars for second in the NFL and behind only TJ Watt’s 19 for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Looking back over the last four seasons, only Watt and Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns have more sacks than Hendrickson. However, he is currently ranked 11th in average annual contract value via OverTheCap, hence he would be looking for a new deal.
It remains to be seen how far Hendrickson is willing to go with the request. The Bengals hold most of the leverage here with team control until 2025 and don’t have much incentive to offload a top pass rusher with a manageable contract while he tries to compete for a Super Bowl, so it would be up to him to take the make things ugly when he really wants to get out.
Meanwhile, Higgins is still very interested in a trade. He is one of the best No. 2 receivers in the NFL and will play on the franchise tag this season before hitting free agency next season. As with Hendrickson, the expansion talks apparently went nowhere.
