A month into the season, the Bengals’ decision to move on from Trey Hendrickson is looking a lot smarter than it did back in the offseason.
Hendrickson is in Baltimore now after signing a four-year, $112 million deal, and the Ravens were willing to pay up after backing out of a trade for Raiders All-Pro pass rusher Maxx Crosby. Through the first month, Hendrickson has produced 14 pressures and one sack, and he’s also dealing with a finger injury that required surgery.
Cincinnati, meanwhile, chose a different route. Rather than tying its defensive future to Hendrickson alone, the Bengals spread their resources across the front.
They traded for Dexter Lawrence, added Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen, and used the draft to bring in Cashius Howell. That group has already made a noticeable impact, piling up 58 total pressures and seven sacks in four games.
Lawrence has been the centerpiece of the overhaul. The interior force has delivered 15 pressures and three sacks of his own, and his presence has helped create cleaner chances for everyone else around him. The overall result has been a defensive line that looks far more active and efficient than it did before the offseason changes.
That’s part of what makes this early stretch so striking. Hendrickson was still elite in Cincinnati, but his play never seemed to pull enough from the rest of the line. This season, some of the same names that were around during his Bengals run are starting to flash more often with better help beside them.
Kris Jenkins Jr. and Myles Murphy have combined for 11 pressures and 3.5 sacks, a total that may not jump off the page but still marks clear progress for both players. Jenkins, in particular, has looked more explosive and has gotten to the quarterback more often with the interior depth now in place.
None of that means Hendrickson won’t make big plays for Baltimore. He absolutely should. But four games in, the Bengals’ front office has a case that the bigger-picture approach was the right one.
The Bengals and Ravens meet in Week 7, and both teams will be hoping they’re healthy enough for what should be an emotional game for Hendrickson and Cincinnati.
In Other News...
Bengals Have A Personal Mike Ditka Connection Fans May Not Know
Mike Ditkas death stirred memories around the league this week, and for Bengals fans, the reaction carried a personal note through a current player with a strong feel for the old-school game. Ditka, a Hall of Fame tight end, coach and broadcaster, left a towering legacy as one of footballs most recognizable figures, from his playing days to the 1985 Bears team that became part of NFL lore.
The Bengals connection surfaced through Ted Karras, who remembered Ditka after hearing the news. It was the kind of reminder that the NFLs past is never all that far away, especially when a player whose influence stretched across generations still resonates with someone on a current Cincinnati roster. [Read more 🡒]
JaMarr Chase Still Has One Big Week 5 Hurdle
JaMarr Chases Week 5 outlook has moved in the right direction, and for the Bengals that alone is a welcome development after a week of watching the injury report closely. Chase was listed as questionable along with Justin Jefferson, but his progress in practice has been enough to keep optimism alive, especially with other notable receivers around the league already being ruled out or, in some cases, cleared to play.
The remaining wait now centers on the final piece of the process, and it is the sort of detail that can shape Sunday availability even after practice has gone well. Cincinnati has reason to feel better about where this is headed, but until that last step is completed, Chase still has one more hurdle to clear before the Bengals can count on having him back in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Nico Collins Carries New Week 5 Pressure For Texans Fans
With the first bye week arriving, fantasy managers are already sorting through replacement options and trying to squeeze value out of every matchup. The lineup advice for this slate leans on recent usage, injury updates and game script, with players like Jameis Winston and Kyle Monangai getting attention because their roles and opponents line up well for Week 5 decisions.
For Cincinnati fans, the most relevant nugget sits on the other side of that DFS conversation, where Brown is drawing notice as a running back play with a favorable setup against Miami. The Dolphins have been a soft spot for backs all season, and the case for Brown rests on volume, scoring chances and the kind of offensive environment that can turn a steady workload into a big fantasy day. The only real question is how aggressive managers want to get in a spot that looks inviting, but still leaves room for one more surprise. [Read more 🡒]