Trey Hendrickson Update

[Whatever]

(7 hours ago)rfaulk34 Wrote: I love it when someone who makes a fraction of an NFL player's salary goes on some rant about how he could be making 28M a year to play a game, when they themselves don't have the talent to perform as one of the best in the world at that job. Said fan would gladly take less to play a game. Happily being underpaid relative to their peers. 

Yeah, right. 

When you have the talent to do a job and you're one of the best at that job, you want to be compensated to your talent, relative to your peers. 

Full.Stop.

I see both ends of it.

There is a TON of work and sacrifices that are made to be a professional athlete.  The "playing a game" argument never sits well with me.  When there's millions of dollars involved, it's not a game anymore. It's serious business.   Not to mention that these guys are doing damage to their bodies that will negatively affect their quality of life going forward.  

I also understand the desire to earn generational wealth so your great grandchildren will never want for anything.  That said, I also understand how people in lower to middle class income families can be offended by a guy who's already made tens of millions of dollars playing the "gotta take care of my family" card.  It comes off as time deaf when the party saying that is talking about generations yet to be born while the one listening is worried about their rent or mortgage this month.

I like Trey, feel he's a great player, and understand his desire to be paid what he's worth.   But on the other hand, he's on his third contract.  If he feels he's underpaid, it's because he and his representatives did a poor job of negotiating.  I can only be so sympathetic to someone being asked to lay in the bed they made.  

[Sled21]

(8 hours ago)SunsetBengal Wrote: On the other side of the coin; all Trey Hendrickson has done since joining the Bengals is produce.

4x Pro Bowl
1st Team All Pro (2024)
2nd in DPOY (2024)
League leader in sacks the past two seasons
In addition to 35 sacks over the past two seasons, he's also made 35TFL (all of which on rushing plays...) and 61 QB hits.

If the Bengals don't want to pay for that sort of production, why are they even going through the motion of fielding a team?

And he's been paid handsomely for that.... over 60 million. If he came out and sucked, do you think he'd be wanting to renegotiate his contract every year for less money?

[Sled21]

(7 hours ago)rfaulk34 Wrote: I love it when someone who makes a fraction of an NFL player's salary goes on some rant about how he could be making 28M a year to play a game, when they themselves don't have the talent to perform as one of the best in the world at that job. Said fan would gladly take less to play a game. Happily being underpaid relative to their peers. 

Yeah, right. 

When you have the talent to do a job and you're one of the best at that job, you want to be compensated to your talent, relative to your peers. 

Full.Stop.

BS.... are you going to say football is not a game? Are you going to say athletes don't make insane money to entertain fans for 3 hours a week? I don't have the knowledge of skill to fix an HVAC system, but I know when I'm being overcharged when the estimate gets changed after the repair because the tech fixed more units than the other techs. Sure, everyone wants to be paid for their talent, and I do not begrudge him playing hardball when it's contract time. He signed a contract, then wanted an extension the Bengals gave him willingly, then he wanted another extension and more money when he wasn't even eligible. Now he wants a new contract, while still under his last extension, and turns down a 14 million dollar raise the organization offered him. Cry me a river. He wants a new contract every year. If they give him 32 this year, he'll want to re-sign for 50 next year. He's immature and greedy. Full stop.

[jj22]

Up until now the FO has handled the Trey situation great, but it is time for them to sh*t or get off the pot.

[*rfaulk34*]

(6 hours ago)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: We don't know how much of that $28m/yr is real and even that offer is just allegedly.

Chase was making $7.7m/yr. They waited an extra year to pay him and rather than having to give him less earlier they had to give him $40.25m/yr.

It wasn't Chase's fault they didn't pay him earlier when they could have paid less. Just like it's not Hendrickson's fault that they didn't pay him earlier when they could have paid him less.

Hell, two years ago Tee was only looking for $23m/yr, a Michael Pittman Jr type deal by his own words. The Bengals keep lowballing, delaying, and then having to pay more because of the delay. That's 100% on the FO.

Just wanted to make sure everyone saw this so there's no silly arguments when people make claims of how stupid and stingy their FO is. 

[Sled21]

(6 hours ago)rfaulk34 Wrote: Just wanted to make sure everyone saw this so there's no silly arguments when people make claims of how stupid and stingy their FO is. 

Well what difference does it make because evidently players want new deals every year.

[Joelist]

(6 hours ago)Sled21 Wrote: Well what difference does it make because evidently players want new deals every year.

Exactly. Trey's posture here makes the Front Office look right in not rushing to extend players early. What's the point in early extending if the player is just going to demand more money when the market moves? In essence there is no benefit then to early extensions. 

[NUGDUKWE]

(6 hours ago)Sled21 Wrote: And he's been paid handsomely for that.... over 60 million. If he came out and sucked, do you think he'd be wanting to renegotiate his contract every year for less money?

Well the team would have him take a pay cut or be cut on the last year of his deal if he sucked. I get that he's been wanting a deal for awhile so it seems like an every year thing but this is the most we've really heard from him publicly. I just don't get why we look at the two sides any differently. 

[*rfaulk34*]

(6 hours ago)Sled21 Wrote: BS.... are you going to say football is not a game? Are you going to say athletes don't make insane money to entertain fans for 3 hours a week? I don't have the knowledge of skill to fix an HVAC system, but I know when I'm being overcharged when the estimate gets changed after the repair because the tech fixed more units than the other techs. Sure, everyone wants to be paid for their talent, and I do not begrudge him playing hardball when it's contract time. He signed a contract, then wanted an extension the Bengals gave him willingly, then he wanted another extension and more money when he wasn't even eligible. Now he wants a new contract, while still under his last extension, and turns down a 14 million dollar raise the organization offered him. Cry me a river. He wants a new contract every year. If they give him 32 this year, he'll want to re-sign for 50 next year. He's immature and greedy. Full stop.

The BS is the righteous indignators, righteously indignating. 

Tell you what. Go out and get a job, something you're really good at, and get paid about 25-40% less than others that do that same job and stop being mad at people that have the talent to play in the NFL and want to be compensated for that talent. 

Yes, it was Trey's fault he signed for so much less in the beginning and then signed the first extension. His agent is a dummy. Hindsight is 20/20. That doesn't remove the Bengals FO from their blame. 

[*rfaulk34*]

(6 hours ago)Sled21 Wrote: Well what difference does it make because evidently players want new deals every year.

And that has nothing to do with the mom and pop, cheap way the Bengals run their organization. 

[NUGDUKWE]

(6 hours ago)Sled21 Wrote: BS.... are you going to say football is not a game? Are you going to say athletes don't make insane money to entertain fans for 3 hours a week? I don't have the knowledge of skill to fix an HVAC system, but I know when I'm being overcharged when the estimate gets changed after the repair because the tech fixed more units than the other techs. Sure, everyone wants to be paid for their talent, and I do not begrudge him playing hardball when it's contract time. He signed a contract, then wanted an extension the Bengals gave him willingly, then he wanted another extension and more money when he wasn't even eligible. Now he wants a new contract, while still under his last extension, and turns down a 14 million dollar raise the organization offered him. Cry me a river. He wants a new contract every year. If they give him 32 this year, he'll want to re-sign for 50 next year. He's immature and greedy. Full stop.

He signed a 1 year extension when he had years still left on his contract. Not exactly demanding a brand new deal. The timing of which always seemed a bit odd to me but we don't really know what was said or promised. Perhaps Trey is being the bigger man hear not throwing people under the bus by name but was promised so he's just trying to hold people to they're WORD.

[*PhilHos*]

(5 hours ago)NUGDUKWE Wrote: He signed a 1 year extension when he had years still left on his contract. Not exactly demanding a brand new deal. The timing of which always seemed a bit odd to me but we don't really know what was said or promised. Perhaps Trey is being the bigger man hear not throwing people under the bus by name but was promised so he's just trying to hold people to they're WORD.

Except 1 year after signing said extension, Trey asked for another extension of which the current CBA prevented the Bengals from doing anything about until this year. The Bengals front office is certainly deserved in most of the criticisms levied their way, but with Trey, I fail to see any wrongdoing on their part (barring specific, factual details of the offer they extended to trey). 

If Trey wants to negotiate this thru the media, then tell us what he was offered and why he won't accept it. 

[3wt]

(6 hours ago)Sled21 Wrote: Well what difference does it make because evidently players want new deals every year.

I do see your point Sled.   It is hard to see why we are so wrapped up in the hubris of already wealthy players.

But there are a couple of things wrapped up in this:

Our culture in general, and professional sports in particular are fostering both a sense of entitlement and the peer pressure to get as much as you can for your contract because other players' contracts depend on you to set the bar.   That originates in the powerful need and value of unions becoming perverted by the above mentioned sense of entitlement and peer pressure.

The fact that the Bengals niggle every contract request to death as a matter of course.   They also have a long history of stringing things out, which just creates a culture of angst and self righteous indignation.

The fact that when you wait to give a player their due, you're going to see them back at the bargaining table soon.   And you do yourself no favors because you are forever at the bargaining table.  And lest you think he's getting his due relative to his peers, look at the difference between what he's asking (I've heard up to 32 million a year) and what his peers of similar quality are getting (up to 40 million a year).  Just makes the niggling seem so disrespectful

The Bengals are not going to "man up" and live with their contracts when the player performance doesn't seem worth the money.  They'll cut them or ask them to take a pay cut.

The Bengals "high ground" and delay tactics end up costing the team more.  A lot more.  Because we end up paying more due to kicking the can down the road and end up squandering the money they could have had to meet other contractual needs

They ignore the reality that - if you want to win, you have to do what it takes to get that done instead of taking the high ground

I don't see them as any more morally right than Hendrickson.   Both need to do better.

After a questionable draft we put ourselves in the position to have a worse defense than last year.  What exactly is that??  Some form of righteousness??

No.  Do what you have to do to take advantage of the short window we're going to have a hall of fame QB (if he lives long enough).  Stop cutting your nose to spite your face.

Of course - then how are we going to be inspired to write these tomes of truth?

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(6 hours ago)Joelist Wrote: Exactly. Trey's posture here makes the Front Office look right in not rushing to extend players early. What's the point in early extending if the player is just going to demand more money when the market moves? In essence there is no benefit then to early extensions. 

Good point. But I think you mean no financial advantage. I'd argue there are other benefits. Chemistry. Attitude. The perception of the team in recruiting FA's (more atteactive destination if Trey is locked up AND guys know they get paid if they ball out). Having Trey help Stewart. Getting off to a better start. Knowing the exact amount of cap space we have early on. 

[R3stangs]

(6 hours ago)Whatever Wrote: I see both ends of it.

There is a TON of work and sacrifices that are made to be a professional athlete.  The "playing a game" argument never sits well with me.  When there's millions of dollars involved, it's not a game anymore. It's serious business.   Not to mention that these guys are doing damage to their bodies that will negatively affect their quality of life going forward.  

I also understand the desire to earn generational wealth so your great grandchildren will never want for anything.  That said, I also understand how people in lower to middle class income families can be offended by a guy who's already made tens of millions of dollars playing the "gotta take care of my family" card.  It comes off as time deaf when the party saying that is talking about generations yet to be born while the one listening is worried about their rent or mortgage this month.

I like Trey, feel he's a great player, and understand his desire to be paid what he's worth.   But on the other hand, he's on his third contract.  If he feels he's underpaid, it's because he and his representatives did a poor job of negotiating.  I can only be so sympathetic to someone being asked to lay in the bed they made.  

Pretty good take and I'm kind of in the same boat.

I also think the FO being cautious about throwing a ton of money at a guy at 30+ when performance decline can be drastic isn't the worst thing. Hopefully something can be negotiated that works for both sides. 

[Sled21]

(5 hours ago)NUGDUKWE Wrote:
Well the team would have him take a pay cut or be cut on the last year of his deal if he sucked. I get that he's been wanting a deal for awhile so it seems like an every year thing but this is the most we've really heard from him publicly. I just don't get why we look at the two sides any differently. 

Only after they had paid him the guaranteed money in the contract.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(6 hours ago)Whatever Wrote: I see both ends of it.

There is a TON of work and sacrifices that are made to be a professional athlete.  The "playing a game" argument never sits well with me.  When there's millions of dollars involved, it's not a game anymore. It's serious business.   Not to mention that these guys are doing damage to their bodies that will negatively affect their quality of life going forward.  

I also understand the desire to earn generational wealth so your great grandchildren will never want for anything.  That said, I also understand how people in lower to middle class income families can be offended by a guy who's already made tens of millions of dollars playing the "gotta take care of my family" card.  It comes off as time deaf when the party saying that is talking about generations yet to be born while the one listening is worried about their rent or mortgage this month.

I like Trey, feel he's a great player, and understand his desire to be paid what he's worth.   But on the other hand, he's on his third contract.  If he feels he's underpaid, it's because he and his representatives did a poor job of negotiating.  I can only be so sympathetic to someone being asked to lay in the bed they made.  

Great post. This is where I am at as well with this whole Trey situation.

[Sled21]

(5 hours ago)rfaulk34 Wrote: The BS is the righteous indignators, righteously indignating. 

Tell you what. Go out and get a job, something you're really good at, and get paid about 25-40% less than others that do that same job and stop being mad at people that have the talent to play in the NFL and want to be compensated for that talent. 

Yes, it was Trey's fault he signed for so much less in the beginning and then signed the first extension. His agent is a dummy. Hindsight is 20/20. That doesn't remove the Bengals FO from their blame. 

You're contradicting yourself. First off, I'm not mad at him for having talent, and I'm not mad at him for wanting more money. If this were his stance next year, I would have no problem with it. If we are just going to tear up contracts and renegotiate players salaries every year, what's the point in having signed contracts? Yes, his agent is a dummy, and that's Trey's fault, not the Bengals. They are living up to their end of the deal, and even offered him a huge raise that they did not have to. 

[Sled21]

(5 hours ago)NUGDUKWE Wrote:
He signed a 1 year extension when he had years still left on his contract. Not exactly demanding a brand new deal. The timing of which always seemed a bit odd to me but we don't really know what was said or promised. Perhaps Trey is being the bigger man hear not throwing people under the bus by name but was promised so he's just trying to hold people to they're WORD.

Yes he did, and he gushed about how well the Bengals treated him and allowed him to financially support his family and make this his home. Until the next year, when he wanted another renegotiation, and now another. I don't know why you all are supporting this madness. His word is meaningless anymore.
If the Bengals give him a 3-year deal at 30 million, he'll be back next year holding out for 40. It has to stop somewhere. Maybe it's because I'm old and from a time when a man's word meant something, but if I were Mike Brown, I'd tell Trey you will play here under the contract you signed, or you can retire, but if you do your career is over because if you try to re-enter the league we still own your rights to one year and can tag you twice. Good luck with your new contract when you're 33.

[Stewy]

(6 hours ago)Whatever Wrote: I see both ends of it.

There is a TON of work and sacrifices that are made to be a professional athlete.  The "playing a game" argument never sits well with me.  When there's millions of dollars involved, it's not a game anymore. It's serious business.   Not to mention that these guys are doing damage to their bodies that will negatively affect their quality of life going forward.  

I also understand the desire to earn generational wealth so your great grandchildren will never want for anything.  That said, I also understand how people in lower to middle class income families can be offended by a guy who's already made tens of millions of dollars playing the "gotta take care of my family" card.  It comes off as time deaf when the party saying that is talking about generations yet to be born while the one listening is worried about their rent or mortgage this month.

I like Trey, feel he's a great player, and understand his desire to be paid what he's worth.   But on the other hand, he's on his third contract.  If he feels he's underpaid, it's because he and his representatives did a poor job of negotiating.  I can only be so sympathetic to someone being asked to lay in the bed they made.  

Nice post.