Trey Hendrickson Update

[Sled21]

(3 hours ago)samhain Wrote: This is a needlessly dumb situation.  

Trey holds all of the short term cards.  That's a situation of the team's construction.  Insistence on waiting to address extensions costs them money every time.  They can't seem to do two things at once.  As a result, we are looking at a very pedestrian defense with it's best player's foot halfway out the door.  Their most impactful acquisition this offseason (Stewart) is a huge wild card.  We'll be lucky if he compliments Trey at all, much less replaces his production.  

The likelihood of this defense sucking again is substantial.  Way too many unproven rookies and a first time DC with too much on the line.  This is the case with or without 91, but without him it goes from substantial to likely. If the organization blows another prime Burrow year because they half-measured this defensive overhaul, the problems compound.  You're entering Burrow trying to get out of town territory.  There is a 100 percent chance that if Trey doesn't suit up or continues to hold grievance parties with the media, fans will blame this situation for any defensive shortcomings, guaranteed.

Conversely, any aspirations Trey has to get paid are up to the team.  He can sit, but they can waste his prime years with team control.  Any short term problem he can create can and likely will be repaid tenfold.  The Bengals will feel some pain from the disgruntled fans, but they'll get by.  Trey will pay for his tantrum for the rest of his and his family's life.  You're talking about leaving what would probably amount to at least 60 mil on the table if you consider career earnings.  He's already rich, but that's a lot of money to spend on pride.

Trey has zero cards to play. He's under contract this year and can be tagged twice. He can retire, but if he comes back the Bengals still own his rights and can do the same thing. He can loaf all season, but good luck getting a big money deal at 32 with a bad season. He has to ball out this year to get interest anywhere else next year.