Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson, seeking long-term deal, requests trade

CINCINNATI — Bengals defensive finish Trey Hendrickson requested a commerce Wednesday, his agent, Harold Lewis, confirmed to ESPN.

Lewis instructed ESPN that Hendrickson’s request is a couple of long-term funding from the franchise after the 2 sides settled on a one-year extension final 12 months.

“Our No. 1 purpose is to get a long-term dedication from them,” Lewis stated on the eve of the NFL draft. “If we will not, then we’re asking for a commerce. And hopefully if he will get traded, that is what we do — get a long-term dedication with elsewhere.”

Final 12 months, Hendrickson obtained a one-year contract extension value $21 million, which included an $8 million signing bonus, in response to Roster Administration System. After one other season by which he was one of many league’s finest defensive ends, Hendrickson is seeking to money in once more.

Lewis stated he and Hendrickson met with the Bengals in a two-hour assembly in March to debate the potential for a possible commerce. Hendrickson’s agent stated that the group is prepared to debate a possible new deal subsequent 12 months, together with his present contract set to show by the 2025 season. In that assembly, the Bengals indicated that they had little interest in buying and selling Hendrickson.

A supply instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Cincinnati shouldn’t be enthusiastic about buying and selling Hendrickson.

In 2023, Hendrickson completed the season with 17.5 sacks, which was second within the NFL behind the Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt. It’s the highest whole for the Bengals since sacks grew to become an official statistic in 1982.

The superior metrics had been equally as spectacular. Hendrickson completed eleventh in move rush win charge as an edge rusher, an ESPN metric powered by NFL Subsequent Gen Stats, and created the second-most sacks (18) within the league, trailing solely the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ Chris Jones. When Hendrickson registered the primary strain, opponents’ completion charge was simply 26.7%, in response to ESPN Stats & Data information.

Whereas Hendrickson’s on-field efficiency places him in the identical tier because the league’s finest, his contract numbers lag behind. In accordance with information from OverTheCap.com, the typical annual worth of Hendrickson’s extension that he signed in 2023 ranked eleventh amongst all edge rushers.

Hendrickson has overdelivered on the four-year deal value $60 million he signed in 2021. The previous third-round select of Florida Atlantic reached the Professional Bowl in every of his first three seasons with Cincinnati, and he has registered 39.5 whole sacks with the membership.

“He has his personal manner about going about his enterprise, and his is about being the very best participant he could be and ensuring we’re the very best group we could be,” Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo stated of Hendrickson on the NFL scouting mix Feb. 29.

Hendrickson is the second star participant to have requested a commerce from the Bengals this offseason. Broad receiver Tee Higgins, who obtained the franchise tag from the group, requested to be traded in March. Nevertheless, Higgins stated earlier this month he anticipated to play for the Bengals this season.

Lewis stated Hendrickson is not seeking to be the highest-paid participant at his place and that he has gone above and past throughout his time with the Bengals. Along with his on-field numbers, Hendrickson additionally performed by a damaged wrist on the finish of the 2022 season. He missed just one week regardless of taking a look at an preliminary prognosis that would have saved him out for 4 weeks. That season, Cincinnati repeated as AFC North winners and went to the AFC Championship Sport for the second straight 12 months, dropping to Kansas Metropolis.

“I’ve plenty of respect for the group,” Lewis stated. “[Vice president] Troy Blackburn’s a great man and he is working a household enterprise over there. However each participant needs safety. They need to know that they’ll be round there for some time. This can be a vicious sport.”