Trey Hendrickson’s contract dispute with the Cincinnati Bengals continues to rumble on through the offseason with no clear end in sight. With a year left on his contract, the elite pass rusher has held out of team activities this summer as he awaits a new long-term deal.
The Bengals are known to be open to trading Hendrickson, but nothing has yet materialized on that front either. During a recent radio interview, NFL insider Daniel Jeremiah discussed the possibility of an NFC West team making a move.
Daniel Jeremiah Endorses Trey Hendrickson Trade to Seattle Seahawks
Hendrickson has been left disillusioned in Cincinnati after watching star receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins receive lucrative new contracts in March 2025. While no doubt happy for his teammates, the defensive star has been left frustrated with the team’s attitude towards him this offseason. Though Hendrickson has stated a preference to remain with the team, Cincinnati’s massive expenditure on its offense has left little cap room for another big signing.
During an appearance on “Brock and Salk” for Seattle Sports radio, Jeremiah was asked whether the Seattle Seahawks should make a move for Hendrickson. He immediately approved of the idea, suggesting that Hendrickson would be a huge complement to the Seahawks defense.
“I’d be in the business of trying to collect great players, and they’ve got a fast defense, they’ve got a very talented defense,” Jeremiah said. “But man, if you throw in a guy like that, who’s gonna get off the bus and get you 12, 15 sacks because he’s such a good, natural, instinctive pass rusher, and you’re in a division where you gotta go hunt Matthew Stafford. Yeah, 100% I would try to be in on that.”
The Seahawks ranked eighth in both quarterback pressure rate and total sacks in 2024 but missed out on a playoff spot with a 10-7 record. The team then signed DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency, adding an experienced pass rusher who’d spent 11 years with the Dallas Cowboys. Players like Hendrickson don’t come around too often, though, and the Bengal would add quality to any roster in the NFL.
How Did the Hendrickson-Bengals Situation Reach This Point?
Hendrickson has publicly claimed that the team had promised him last year that he would receive a new deal in 2025 if he continued to play at a high level. That contract has yet to arrive, despite his leading the NFL in sacks last season with 17.5 sacks since the promise was made.
On the trade front, there is undoubtedly interest in Hendrickson, but a deal has not materialized, leaving him and the Bengals at an impasse. Things got ugly earlier in the offseason when Bengals executive Katie Blackburn appeared to blame Hendrickson for the stalemate. Hendrickson appeared on an episode of “The Pat McAfee Show” shortly afterward, claiming to have received minimal communication from the team.
“When I say that communication has been poor I mean that it’s been here and there..
We don’t have any desire to be the highest paid and we’ve tried to be as patient as possible”
Trey Hendrickson #PMSLive https://t.co/SMzJL6gWFD pic.twitter.com/p53eUYt7TJ
– Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 2, 2025
Cincinnati’s seeming disregard for one of its premier defensive players remains puzzling, to say the least. Recall that the Bengals scored the sixth-most points in the NFL last season, but were the only team in the top 11 in points scored to miss the playoffs. That’s a glaring reflection of their defensive shortcomings. They even outscored division rival Pittsburgh by 92 points, yet it was the Steelers who advanced to the postseason.
Recent reports indicate that the Bengals and Hendrickson have resumed contract talks, though significant gaps remain in their negotiations over both the length and value of a potential extension. With training camp approaching, the pressure continues to mount on both sides to find a resolution.