Trey Hendrickson explained the reasons behind his absence from the Bengals. According to an interview with Diana Lassini of Athletic, he’s been training in Jacksonville after negotiations with the team didn’t meet his expectations.
Hendrickson shared, “I spent the last month at my home in Cincinnati, just across the river from the stadium. Two offers came in within a day, but neither had the guarantees we were hoping for. I truly wanted to be there, but I can’t just sit at home, hearing practice from afar. It’s distracting, you know? I don’t want to jeopardize the upcoming season because of contract details.”
He added that he was willing to compromise during negotiations to meet the team’s needs, expressing a desire to be a leader for the young defense: “The time has come.”
Interestingly, just the day before, Bengals owner Mike Brown seemed hopeful about reaching an agreement with Hendrickson. “At some point, we’ll get it done,” he told reporters, adding that he felt they were in a good position to move forward.
Despite the challenging discussions, Hendrickson spoke positively about Brown, appreciating the connection they’ve developed. “He’s amazing. I think no one in Cincinnati has a bigger heart,” Hendrickson remarked. He noted that he didn’t want to repeat past issues from the required mini-camp and emphasized his good relationship with head coach Zack Taylor. “I want to stay in Cincinnati, and it seems they want that too.”
The Bengals are rumored to have offered Hendrickson a contract with a certain amount of guaranteed money for one year. Comparatively, players like TJ Watt, Max Crosby, and Miles Garrett have recently secured three-year deals.
Hendrickson is poised to earn $15.8 million in the final year of his current contract, having led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season. He was also selected as a first-team All-Pro and finished second in the Player of the Year voting.
