The Cincinnati Bengals finally agreed to terms with star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who led the league in sacks last season, bringing an end to one of the league’s final contractual standoffs of the offseason.
However, although Hendrickson secured a $14 million raise, he’s set to hit the open market for free agency in March. Although Cincinnati could still use the franchise tag on Hendrickson, the financials involved make it unlikely.
As uncertain as his future is, Hendrickson is focused on the upcoming season.
“We’re taking one day at a time,” Hendrickson said, via the Bengals’ official website. “Moving forward, we’ll figure that out as it goes. For this season, to be given a raise I didn’t necessarily had to have been given, it’s a blessing to be in a position where I’ve been brought up to my peers. And also being able to get after quarterbacks.
“I love this city and with what’s been happening the last couple of months, I’ve had time to reflect on what it means to me and how much I want to stay a Bengal for the 2025 season.”
Hendrickson touched on the new terms being what’s best for both the Bengals and his family.
“There’s a tremendous amount of respect for the back and forth we had and the countless times of trying to make things work on multiple-year extensions all the way down to the raise,” Hendrickson said. “And what makes sense for the family at the time, and what was presented to us. This is what’s best for not only the 2025 Bengals, but also for my family personally. It’s a tremendous honor to get a raise and be respected for what I do.”
“It gives a lot of clarity to the 2025 defense,” Hendrickson continued. “It gives us a couple of more good practices, and with a great offseason in the books, both personally and as a team, I feel like now we can go collectively play for the 2025 Bengals. And what’s best for the team is the best players playing in their relative positions.”
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.