Cincinnati Bengals Grant Trey Hendrickson Permission to Seek Trade Options

The city of Cincinnati is buzzing with news that could reshape their football team’s future. The Bengals have officially given edge rusher Trey Hendrickson permission to explore trade options, a decision confirmed by an NFL insider.

Hendrickson, who has been a key player for the Bengals over the past four years, expressed his gratitude for the organization and fans. “It’s been an honor and privilege to represent Cincinnati over the last four years,” he said. “I love this city and organization. I appreciate the privilege of now being allowed to explore my options.”

Throughout his tenure with Cincinnati, Hendrickson has made a name for himself by racking up an impressive 57 sacks in total. He’s performed especially well, achieving double-digit sacks in three out of his four seasons. Last year, he led the entire league with 17.5 sacks, outpacing his closest competitor by a solid 3.5 sacks and also marked a career-high with 36 quarterback hits. His outstanding performance earned him a spot as a First Team All-Pro and he was also a runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Hendrickson, who will turn 31 in December, is expected to attract significant interest in the trade market due to his talent and experience. Any team that might trade for him will likely seek to extend his contract, which could benefit Hendrickson financially and also create a lower salary cap hit for the future seasons, notably in 2025.

Currently, Hendrickson has a four-year, $60 million contract with Cincinnati. He signed a one-year extension covering the 2025 season, and as he heads into the final year, he will earn a base salary of $15.8 million, which counts for $18.67 million against the Bengals’ salary cap. If the team does go through with a trade, it stands to save $16 million against their financial commitments.

This potential move might give the Bengals’s management the breathing room they need to offer long-term deals to rising stars like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, although it could come at a significant cost to their already struggling defense.