Agent Harold Lewis told Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer that defensive end Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals is “hopeful” the team would grant him a contract extension, but he has sought a trade in the event that it does not.
In a previous report published on Wednesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter stated that Hendrickson asked for a trade because he is “looking for more long-term security than Cincinnati has been willing to offer.”
According to Spotrac, the 29-year-old will receive $14.8 million in base salary in 2024 and $15.8 million in base salary in 2025. He is not expected to become a free agent until after the 2025 season.
Jonah Williams, an offensive lineman, initially asked to be traded before the 2023 season, but he ultimately changed his mind and played in all 17 games for the AFC North squad. He is no longer with Cincinnati, though, as he inked a contract this summer with the Arizona Cardinals.
Entering his final season on a deal, wide receiver Tee Higgins asked to be traded in March.
At the time, Schefter said, “Higgins is disappointed that the team has not held talks about a long-term contract extension since March 2023. He loves Cincinnati and hoped to be with the team for a long time.” He’s prepared to go on to a new residence.”
But as Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic noted, it doesn’t appear that Higgins or Hendrickson will get their wish:
Field Yates of ESPN reported that Hendrickson had inked a one-year agreement that included $21 million in extra money, a $5 million rise for 2023, and “deserved security” for the player while the team freed up additional cap space.
Unfortunately, it appears that the defense is not thrilled with the state of affairs at this time.
Throughout his three seasons with Cincinnati, he has been a Pro Bowl player, thus his performance on the field has not been a problem. With 43 tackles, a career-high 17.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and three passes deflected in 17 games, he was unstoppable in 2023.
