By Dianna Russini, Paul Dehner Jr. and Amos Morale III
The Cincinnati Bengals have been actively engaging in trade discussions for star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson for weeks, league sources said.
Hendrickson, 30, has been present but not participating in the Bengals’ training camp practices as he seeks a contract extension. He has one year, $16 million remaining on the deal he signed in 2023.
Cincinnati seeks draft capital and is also targeting defensive players in a potential deal for Hendrickson, according to teams that have inquired about Hendrickson. Teams that have recently inquired about the pass rusher were told Cincinnati’s asking price included a young defensive player and a 2026 first-round pick, according to league sources.
There’s a strong belief that the Bengals could have netted a better draft pick in a Hendrickson trade if they had moved him earlier in the spring, one of the sources told The Athletic.
One source strongly believes that the Bengals could have netted a better draft pick in a Trey Hendrickson trade had they moved him earlier in the spring.
Teams also face potential salary cap obstacles when it comes to paying Hendrickson the deal he wants this late into camp. https://t.co/Krgb1J4DZC
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) August 17, 2025
Any deal for the NFL’s reigning sack champion could be difficult to come together due to potential salary cap obstacles when it comes to paying Hendrickson the deal he wants this late into camp.
This news is the latest chapter of the story that has dominated Cincinnati’s offseason.
Hendrickson has been transparent about his desire to negotiate an extension and was granted permission by the Bengals in March to seek a trade. He initially held out of camp before opting to report, but did not participate.
He told reporters that his decision to join the team was not an indicator that there was progress toward an extension.
“Things are exactly the same,” Hendrickson said in late July.
He’s coming off a season in which he led the league with 17 1/2 sacks, finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting and was named a first-team All-Pro.
In 2023, Hendrickson tied for second in the league with 17 1/2 sacks. He has earned Pro Bowl honors in all four of his seasons in Cincinnati.
(Photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
