CINCINNATI – Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson requested a trade on Wednesday, his agent Harold Lewis confirmed to ESPN.
Lewis told ESPN that Hendrickson’s request is about a long-term investment from the franchise after the two sides reached agreement on a one-year extension last year.
“Our No. 1 goal is to get a long-term commitment from him,” Lewis said on the eve of the NFL Draft. “If we can’t, we’re asking for a trade. And hopefully if he gets traded, that’s what we’ll do – get a long-term commitment with somewhere else.”
Last year, Hendrickson received a one-year contract extension worth $21 million, which included an $8 million signing bonus, according to the Roster Management System. After another season in which he was one of the league’s best defensive ends, Hendrickson is looking to cash in again.
Lewis said he and Hendrickson met with the Bengals for a two-hour meeting in March to discuss the possibility of a potential trade. Hendrickson’s agent said the team is willing to discuss a potential new deal next year, which would see his current contract run through the 2025 season. At that meeting, the Bengals indicated they were not interested in trading Hendrickson.
A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Cincinnati has no interest in trading Hendrickson.
In 2023, Hendrickson finished the season with 17.5 sacks, which was second in the NFL behind TJ Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers. It is the highest total for the Bengals since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
The advanced metrics were equally impressive. In an ESPN metric powered by NFL Next Gen Stats, Hendrickson ranked 11th in pass rush win rate as an edge rusher, and made the second-most sacks (18) in the league, trailing only Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs. According to ESPN Stats and Information data, when Hendrickson recorded the first pressure, the opponents’ completion rate was only 26.7%.
While Hendrickson’s on-field performance puts him on the same level as the league’s best, his contract numbers lag behind. According to data from OverTheCap.com, the average annual value of Hendrickson’s extension, which he signs through 2023, ranks 11th among all edge rushers.
Hendrickson has completed a four-year, $60 million deal signed in 2021. The former third-round pick out of Florida Atlantic reached the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons with Cincinnati, and has recorded 39.5 total sacks. Club.
Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said of Hendrickson at the NFL Scouting Combine, “He has his own way about his business, and his goal is to be the best player he can be and make sure we’re the best team we can be.” February 29.
Hendrickson is the second star player to request a trade from the Bengals this offseason. Wide receiver Tee Higgins, who received the franchise tag from the team, requested to be traded in March. However, Higgins said earlier this month that he expected to play for the Bengals this season.
Lewis said Hendrickson doesn’t appear to be the highest-paid player at his position and that he has come a long way during his time with the Bengals. In addition to his on-field numbers, Hendrickson also played despite a broken wrist that ended the 2022 season. Despite initial predictions that he could be sidelined for up to four weeks, he only missed one week. That season, Cincinnati repeated as AFC North winners and lost to Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game for the second consecutive year.
“I have a lot of respect for the organization,” Lewis said. “(Vice President) Troy Blackburn is a nice guy and he’s running a family business there. But every player wants security. They want to know they’re going to be there for a while. It’s a vicious game.”
