The Bengals’ training camp kicks off Tuesday, but star player Trey Hendrickson is noticeably absent from Cincinnati.
Negotiations regarding Hendrickson’s contract seemed to be making progress on Monday, yet with camp now starting, it appears they might have hit a snag, especially since Hendrickson has yet to report.
He posted a picture on his Instagram story tagged from Florida. So, if he’s satisfied with the contract, it raises eyebrows—he’s hundreds of miles away from where practice happens.
Bengals owner Mike Brown expressed optimism about the discussions on Monday, stating, “At some point, we’ll get it done. I think we’re in a good place and I hope this comes together soon.” Yet, Hendrickson’s absence suggests a resolution may still be a way off.
On NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” former linebacker Manti Te’o shared that Hendrickson told him the Bengals’ offer is “extremely low.”
As reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the main disagreements focus on guaranteed money. Cincinnati is prepared to offer one year of guaranteed money, which falls short compared to the multi-year guarantees received recently by top pass rushers like TJ Watt, Max Crosby, and Myles Garrett.
Last season, Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks and was named a first-team All-Pro, finishing second in the Player of the Year voting.
At 30 years old, he is in the last year of his current contract, set to earn $15.8 million this season. He has made it clear that he won’t play under this contract and is seeking a long-term deal commensurate with other elite edge rushers in the league.
Recently, Watt inked a record-setting three-year, $123 million extension with the Steelers. Meanwhile, Garrett secured a four-year, $160 million deal with the Browns, and Crosby agreed to a three-year, $106.5 million contract with the Raiders—each with over $90 million guaranteed.
Hendrickson has recorded 35 sacks over the past two seasons, putting him in the same realm as those top three players and second in the league in sacks over the last three years, only behind Garrett.
But it seems he might be absent from Cincinnati for a while until the Bengals meet his expectations.
