The Cincinnati Bengals are heading into a pivotal offseason, and while there’s plenty to address, the spotlight is firmly on the defensive side of the ball. One of the biggest questions? What happens next with Trey Hendrickson.
Hendrickson, the Bengals’ premier edge rusher and a four-time Pro Bowler, is set to hit free agency. And while there’s always a chance of a reunion, the writing on the wall points to a separation. According to projections, Hendrickson could be in line for a two-year, $50.85 million deal - a hefty payday that would make him one of the highest-paid pass rushers on the market this offseason.
Now, that number might raise a few eyebrows - especially considering Hendrickson is coming off a season where he played just seven games due to injury. But let’s not forget what he did before that.
Back-to-back seasons with 17.5 sacks in 2023 and 2024? That’s elite production, the kind that doesn’t just disappear overnight.
Even at 31, Hendrickson has shown he can still wreck a game off the edge, and teams in need of pass-rushing help will absolutely come calling.
So why is this good news for the Bengals, especially if they’re losing one of their most productive defenders? It comes down to compensatory picks - a key piece of the NFL’s roster-building puzzle.
If Hendrickson lands the kind of deal that’s being projected - over $25 million per year - Cincinnati would be in line to receive a third-round compensatory pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. That’s a valuable asset, likely to fall just inside or right around the top 100 picks.
Given the contract dispute that surfaced between Hendrickson and the Bengals earlier in the year, a split has felt more and more inevitable. But if that split ends with Hendrickson cashing in on a massive contract elsewhere, Cincinnati walks away with a solid return in the form of draft capital. That’s the kind of move that helps keep the roster young, flexible, and competitive in the long run.
Hendrickson’s time in Cincinnati has been impactful. Since arriving, he’s become one of the league’s most consistent pass rushers and earned All-Pro honors during his five-year stint with the team. His presence helped elevate the Bengals’ defense during their recent playoff runs, and his production speaks for itself.
Now, as both sides prepare for what looks like the end of the road, the Bengals can look at the situation with a glass-half-full perspective. Losing a player of Hendrickson’s caliber is never easy.
But if he lands a top-tier deal elsewhere - and all signs point to that being a real possibility - Cincinnati gets a valuable piece in return. And in a league where smart roster management separates contenders from pretenders, that third-round pick could play a big role in shaping the Bengals’ next chapter.