CINCINNATI — On Wednesday, the Bengals looked crisp. So did their star holdout, who showed up to camp with a clean shave and a negotiation not yet resolved.
After missing the first week of camp, including the first padded practice, Hendrickson flew in Tuesday night before reporting Wednesday. Yet despite being physically present, the first-team All-Pro defensive end and reigning sack leader isn’t wearing his uniform yet, as he remains entrenched in a stalemate in pursuit of more guaranteed money.
After practice concluded, Hendrickson surprisingly spoke to the media from his locker stall, holding court for almost 10 minutes.
“I’m a firm believer that hard work works,” Hendrickson said. “What I’ve done in the last four years, five years, eight years in the NFL is done. I can’t do any more at this time except to rush the passer on Sundays. The hay is in the barn. It’s whether we agree or not.”
Currently set to play out a one-year, $21 million deal, Hendrickson has moved from a holdout to a hold-in, avoiding a daily $50,000 fine while still demanding a new, long-term contract.
During the practice, Hendrickson stood on the sideline and helped coach the defense, a unit that is undergoing a schematic metamorphosis under new coordinator Al Golden. Of course, it’s tough for Golden to get a true look at his starting defense without Hendrickson, who has posted back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons while earning Pro Bowl berths in each of his four seasons with the Bengals.
“The plan was to be here day one,” Hendrickson said. “That didn’t transpire. Nothing has really changed.”
Without Hendrickson on the field, Golden has continued installing his defense, which he describes as a work in progress. For the first-time NFL coordinator, returning to Cincinnati has been a treat. After serving as the Bengals’ linebackers coach from 2020 to ‘21, Golden left to become the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. After two years in South Bend, Golden is back in the Queen City, a place his family never left.
A father of three, the 56-year-old Golden is now tasked with improving last season’s 25th-ranked defense, a group infused with a trio of draft picks in edge rusher Shemar Stewart, and linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter. There was also the addition of former Packers nose tackle T.J. Slaton Jr. in free agency, who signed a two-year, $15.1 million deal.
“Our leaders are different this year,” Golden says. “A lot of the concepts are new and different than last year. Our core fundamentals are different. Certainly they’re being received differently from new teachers. So that’s what this process is about. Our team identity, our leadership, our DNA, our fingerprints are going to be forged out here in the next 40 days.
“I’ve never liked to be boxed in as a coach. I like to do what we do best and that’s what I’m trying to learn from our players right now. How do I get these guys in roles that they can magnify and be the most impactful for our defense?”
So far, so good. While the true results won’t start coming in for another six weeks, the Bengals have reason to feel like they can be better despite not adding any proven stars in the offseason.
One reason is the ability to play fast while implementing myriad changes, something their star quarterback has taken note of.
“They seem very confident in what they’re doing,” Joe Burrow said. “They’re not having a ton of mental errors either on that side of the ball. With a new defense, a complicated defense and young players, you’re usually going to see that but we’re really not. The DB’s are understanding the nuances of coverage really well, understanding where their help is, where it isn’t, playing their leverages really sound.
“And then, the defensive line, I think Myles [Murphy] and Joseph [Ossai] are having great camps. T.J. Slaton is going to be a great player for us with the energy he brings, the physicality he brings. I’m really excited to watch that on Sundays. And then the games, the stunts, the things they’re doing on the defensive side of the ball to create pressure is something I’ve gone against the last couple of years. I know how hard that is to deal with from a quarterbacking perspective and they’re doing it at a high level.”
In Cincinnati, the order of the day isn’t needing a great defense, but a competent one. While Golden hopes to build an elite unit over time, the first step is respectability, something the defense didn’t have a year ago before the firing of longtime coordinator Lou Anarumo.
It all starts with Golden getting his players to buy in. It continues, eventually, with the team eventually getting their star player on the field.
Best thing I saw: Joe Burrow is in midseason form
If anybody expected Burrow to regress after leading the NFL with 4,918 passing yards and 41 touchdowns, they should have seen Wednesday’s practice.
Across the street from Paycor Stadium, Burrow was almost perfect during individual and team drills, consistently fitting throws into tight windows with not only Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but also Andrei Iosivas, running back Chase Brown and others.
Burrow was in complete control throughout the two-hour session, moving well within the pocket to avoid pressure while also staying on time, driving a variety of passes for completions both inside and outside the numbers. Outside of a seven-on-seven, red-zone interception by Josh Newton where it appears Burrow and Higgins weren’t on the same page, the 28-year-old was sublime, ripping one deep seam pass after the next.
“I feel great,” Burrow said. “The body feels good. It’s the best I’m throwing it in several years, so I’m excited about that. Excited about where our team is at too. A lot of young guys are stepping up and making plays. Very optimistic.”
Burrow’s optimism is understandable. Despite missing the playoffs, Burrow is coming off a career year when the team won its final four games in an effort to reach the postseason. And now, with both Higgins and Chase under contract for the long haul, the future should be full of offensive fireworks.
Best thing I heard: Jordan Battle giving Ja’Marr Chase the business
Triple crown-winning receiver? Who cares? Certainly not Jordan Battle.
On a day when the secondary was burned at times but feisty throughout, Battle might have been the most consistent in the group. While there were highlights such as Cam Taylor-Britt defending a pass in the end zone and second-year corner Newton coming away with the first interception of Burrow’s camp, Battle was the most consistent of the group.
In the same red-zone drill that produced both of the aforementioned highlights, Battle stood out by not only defending a corner route by superstar wideout Chase, but also screaming emphatically afterwards, followed by yelling at Chase to catch the ball.
Fun low red session with a mix of wins for both offense and defense. Notably two breakups of Burrow-Chase.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) July 30, 2025
This one by Jordan Battle had the third-year safety feeling some kind of a way. He certainly hasn’t been shy to mix it up after the play this camp. pic.twitter.com/rqD4na06SS
It’s the kind of swagger and confidence that was lacking last season from a Bengals defense that found a way to lose four games when the offense scored at least 30 points.
Rookie who impressed: Demetrius Knight Jr., LB
After the spring release of veteran linebacker Germaine Pratt, the Bengals were signaling a new era in the middle. Enter Knight.
Knight comes to Cincinnati as a second-round pick after playing six years in college at Georgia Tech, Charlotte and finally, South Carolina. At 25 years old, Knight is one of the league’s oldest rookies but in camp on Wednesday, looking the part of an immediate starter alongside veterans Logan Wilson and Oren Burks.
While there was no tackling to the ground, Knight was consistently in position to make plays in the run game while also showing some coverage chops both in zone and man defense. On one snap, Knight technically allowed a reception to Chase but was (legally) draped all over him, making the All-Pro earn the catch. Afterwards, he tellingly slammed both hands to the ground, frustrated he didn’t make the play.
With the Gamecocks, Knight played 13 games and totaled 82 tackles including eight for loss and two sacks. At the NFL scouting combine, the 235-pounder showed his athleticism with a 4.58 40-time, ranking eighth at the position.
Veteran who impressed: Chase Brown, RB
The offensive attention is justifiably going to be paid to Burrow, Chase and Higgins. But don’t forget about Brown.
Entering his third season as a fifth-round pick from Illinois, Brown looks ready to level up. Throughout the practice, he was slashing and darting through rushing lanes while also catching every pass thrown his direction. He also owned the most impressive grab of the day with a one-handed snag on a high throw across the middle from Burrow in seven-on-seven drills.
In 2024, Brown rushed for 990 yards and seven touchdowns on 4.3 yards per carry while catching 54 passes. Only Breece Hall, Bijan Robinson, Alvin Kamara and De’Von Achane had more receptions from the running back position.
While it won’t be easy earning Pro Bowl honors in a conference which includes Derrick Henry, James Cook, and rookie first-round pick Ashton Jeanty, don’t be surprised if Brown pushes for the honor.
Song of the Day: “California Love” by Tupac
The best Tupac song? Maybe. A song you can’t help but turn up when it comes up on shuffle? Absolutely.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bengals Training Camp Report: Trey Hendrickson Reports As Defense Undergoes Overhaul.
