CINCINNATI — Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson has 57 sacks in four seasons with Cincinnati, including back-to-back 17.5 sack seasons. He led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024. Hendrickson is entering the final year of his contract. He'll make $16 million in total cash in 2025.

With superstar quarterback Joe Burrow at the helm of the offense, with Ja'Marr Chase being one of the top receivers in the entire NFL, the Bengals have remarkable potential on a y

What else speaks to Hendrickson’s importance? The droves of trade ideas making the rounds, such a recent one that suggests the Chicago Bears could get him from the Bengals in return for a third-round pick, courtesy of Bear Report’s Andrew Freeman:

After requesting a trade to protest not getting an extension, Hendrickson proved his worth again during the season.

Speaking to Kelsey Conway at the Senior Bowl, Bengals de facto GM Duke Tobin said the plan is to try and sign DE Trey Hendrickson to a contract extension this offseason. Whether or not the two sides will be successful is a much more open question,

Paying both Ja'Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson will require extending their current contracts, and it's no surprise that the front office is inclined to take care of both players