The Bengals and star pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson appear to be on the outs just a few weeks from the start of the NFL season after the franchise made the 30-year-old available in trade talks earlier this week.
Hendrickson is currently unwilling to play under his current deal and could get his bag elsewhere, assuming Cincinnati can find an eager buyer. As speculation over Hendrickson's future grows, The Athletic's Dianna Russini recently revealed exactly what the Bengals are looking for in a potential deal for their defensive end.
Teams who have inquired about Hendrickson were told the asking price includes "a young defensive player and a 2026 first-round pick," Russini reported Monday. She added that the defensive player does not have to be a pass-rusher.
SI’s Albert Breer also shared his thoughts on the ongoing trade talks Monday, noting that it seems “pretty unlikely a team will give up picks, a player AND the contract Hendrickson wants.”
Hendrickson, the NFL's reigning sack leader with 17.5 in each of the last two seasons, has served as one of Cincinnati's most valuable defensive stars since 2021. It may come as a surprise that the Bengals aren't necessarily seeking a one-for-one replacement in a Hendrickson trade, but it's possible the franchise wants the saga to be over with sooner rather than later and to start the 2025 NFL season on a less fractured note.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Insider Shares What Bengals Want in Return for Trey Hendrickson Trade.
