Trey Hendrickson

[J24]

We all know that Trey is a great player and he has an enticing argument for DPOY this season! With that being said he is 30 and in the final year of his contract. So the question is what do with him? Do you sign him to a long term deal? Trade him for draft picks? Trade him for a player?. Or do you let him play the season out on his current contract?

For me its a tough question because I would like to keep him but I'm not sure about his price tag? If its over 30 million then I'm not sure that's a healthy price for him at his age. I definitely don't want to keep him on his current deal and have an unhappy Trey around here either.

So that leaves us with trading him for a player or for draft capital; With that being said who is that player(realistic) that we can trade for and what would be fair draft value for Trey?

For me I rank it as
#1 Sign him to an 3 year 75 million(45 guaranteed) extension
#2Trade for player - options (imo )Sauce Gardner CB NYJ, Kerby Joseph FS lions, Jessie Bates FS Falcons
#3 trade for draft capital- late first to early second + late third to early 4th.(imo)
#4 let it play out

[Sled21]

And then when we trade him it will be the whole Whitworth conversation about how stupid it was not to re-sign him. He's still got a high motor and a lot of football in him. Extend him with a deal that keeps him happy and get a bookend at LDE.

[M.W.]

Age tends to creep up - Trey will not magically struggle to get more than 10 sacks in a year or 32 or 33.  Even if he is only getting 10 sacks at 33 he will be highly productive and still creating holding penalties depending on which team he is playing.  I just don't see a guy going from 17.5 sacks to pedestrian in a few years as long as he is keeping himself in good shape, which he seems to be doing when looking at the production he creates every year.  I think he could be a very good DE at 34.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

What I want them to do: Extend Him

What I think they'll do: Not Extend Him and it'll drag along publicly and messily until we eventually trade him for 2026 draft pick(s) because the 2025 draft will have passed and so will have all the good players in FA. Think of a Carson Palmer-ish situation.

He tried it briefly last offseason and now coming off back-to-back 17.5 sack season and an All-Pro nod he'll never have more leverage to try to get paid for his last great payday of his career. Don't see him playing out his current deal as he's currently in line to get the 20th most cash among edge players in 2025.

[TecmoBengals]

Give Trey his pay day in the New Dey era.

[sandwedge]

Extend the man, he has a few good years left in him

[Clark W Griswold]

No question - Extend him. He was about 98% of the Bengals pass rush this season. Don’t be afraid to pay for a year of diminished play to get that championship now. In 3 years he will most likely still be a good pass rusher/3rd down specialist and with the way salaries are escalating he won’t be that over paid by then.

Just think of how bad this defense would have been without him.

[Luvnit2]

My 1st thought is definitely extend him. The question becomes does Trey want years of job security and understands the Bengals can't pay him like younger pass rushers like Parsons. Trey has very good value and in my opinion deserves a raise but not break the bank raise.

It takes 2 to agree, let's see if Bengals FO values Trey and if Trey values being a Bengal who gave him his best contract as a pro.

[J24]

(01-20-2025, 07:56 PM)Sled21 Wrote: And then when we trade him it will be the whole Whitworth conversation about how stupid it was not to re-sign him. He's still got a high motor and a lot of football in him. Extend him with a deal that keeps him happy and get a bookend at LDE.

Depends what you get for him and who replace with. For example if you trade him for a productive player or draft a  productive player to replace him. Then the reaction won't be as bad!

[Gdale_Bengal]

I don’t think it’s a bad idea to trade him depending on what the return on investment.

Trade him and get good return, do they have a plan after that?

On this team there’s no one who can step in and handle his production, even if they get a first and select an edge, that guy couldn’t replace his production.

FA? There’s going to be talent, but no one like Hendrickson.


I don’t know if there’s a combination of guys on this roster+ high round edge that can do what Hendrickson can do.


For the Bengals, I think he’s untradeable at this time. That doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t listen though

[J24]

(01-20-2025, 09:48 PM)Gdale_Bengal Wrote: I don’t think it’s a bad idea to trade him depending on what the return on investment.

Trade him and get good return, do they have a plan after that?

On this team there’s no one who can step in and handle his production, even if they get a first and select an edge, that guy couldn’t replace his production.

FA? There’s going to be talent, but no one like Hendrickson.


I don’t know if there’s a combination of guys on this roster+ high round edge that can do what Hendrickson can do.


For the Bengals, I think he’s untradeable at this time. That doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t listen though

If they were to say sign a guy like Chase Young + A Barron Browning to fill his shoes + gain A first Rd pick for him. Then I think a trade word be worth it. 

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

You pay the only proven pass rusher on the team. Extension and add an End like Chase Young or Hasaan Redick.

[J24]

(01-20-2025, 10:13 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: You pay the only proven pass rusher on the team. Extension and add an End like Chase Young or Hasaan Redick.

That would be nice!

[higgy100]

(01-20-2025, 08:20 PM)sandwedge Wrote: Extend the man, he has a few good years left in him

He won't if they don't get somebody on the the other side to help him. 

[CJD]

IF the Bengals, by the end of this off season, don't extend Chase, extend Hendrickson and re-sign Higgins, this off season will be a failure. It almost doesn't matter what else they do. 3 of their 4 best players (with a big drop off after 4) are on the line this off season. You can't fix that with a draft or a free agency period.

[*Synric*]

Re-Sign Trey Hendrickson he is the defense. The Bengals have put themselves into a situation where they have to PRAY the wheels don't fall off.

[*bfine32*]

[Destro]

Whatever is done will be the wrong decision.

[jj22]

Trade him. There’s a lot of defensive ends this draft. If you can get a 1st we can use both on ends.

[J24]

(01-20-2025, 11:59 PM)Destro Wrote: Whatever is done will be the wrong decision.

Thank you for the positive thoughts!