At long last, the Cincinnati Bengals have agreed to long-term extensions with both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Cincinnati dished out nearly $300 million overnight to keep hold of their two star wide receivers.
Per Adam Schefter, the Bengals have signed Ja'Marr Chase to a four-year, $161 million extension and Tee Higgins to a four-year, $115 million extension. These massive deals have been in the works for quite a while, but they raise questions about the rest of Cincinnati's roster.
Could Trey Hendrickson be on the move?
The Cincinnati Bengals have remained focused on keeping their star players in the building over the last few offseasons. They finally inked their star receivers to long-term extensions, but Trey Hendrickson is still waiting.
Before the start of free agency, the Bengals granted Hendrickson permission to seek out a trade. While speculation about potential destinations abounds, there has been no clear momentum toward any sort of move for the star pass rusher in the weeks since.
After news broke of the contract extensions for Higgins and Chase, Diana Russini reported that "Cincinnati is working to retain Trey Hendrickson and discussions are ongoing between the two sides."
Trey Hendrickson has been the most productive member of Cincinnati's defense since arriving from New Orleans in 2021. He's amassed 67 sacks as a Bengal, leading the team by a wide margin during his time in Cincinnati. In 2024, Hendrickson led the league in sacks with 17.5 and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
On his current contract, Hendrickson earns an average of $21 million per year. That makes him the twentieth-highest-paid defensive lineman in the NFL. He makes less per year than players like Rashan Gary and Leonard Williams who have been significantly less productive than he has.
Hendrickson has been clear about his desire to reach an agreement on a new deal. After Clevelend defensive end Myles Garrett recently inked an extension earning him $40 million per year, Hendrickson could be in for a massive pay bump. If the Bengals lack the financial flexibility to pay Hendrickson what he's worth, a trade could be in store for the star defender.
Trey Hendrickson could be the centerpiece of the Cincinnati Bengals defense for years to come. Or, he could be the missing component of a championship-winning unit for another lurking contender. Whatever the outcome, this decision could shape the future of Cincinnati Bengals football.