Bengals Star Trey Hendrickson Sheds Light on Contentious Contract Talks

CINCINNATI — Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson isn't happy with training camp set to start on Wednesday.

The NFL sack leader decided to fly home to Jacksonville, Florida. He spent the last 30 days in Cincinnati training and getting ready for the 2025 season according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

"Just spoke to Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who is currently in Jacksonville, FL. For the last 30 days, he had been at his home in Cincinnati and training. But as training camp approached, he and his wife decided to leave," Russini tweeted. "They received two offers in a 24-hour span, none containing the guarantees past the first year he was looking for."

Bengals owner Mike Brown sounded optimistic about the team getting a deal done with Hendrickson when he spoke to reporters on Monday.

“We aren’t going to trade Trey. We’re working to get Trey re-signed as we speak," Brown said. "Our guys are in the office working to get that done. And I think it will get done.”

Hendrickson, 30, led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season. He's entering the final year of his contract and set to make $15.8 million in base salary.

“I was more than willing to take less in some ways in order to make this work," Hendrickson told Russini.

Guaranteed money is a major issue that the Bengals and Hendrickson have to get past if they're going to come to an agreement.

"They are atrociously, atrociously low," Manti Te'o said on NFL Network on Tuesday morning when discussing the guarantees the Bengals are offering the four-time Pro Bowler.

Hendrickson and Te'o were teammates for three seasons (2017-19) in New Orleans.

“I could get into the negotiation, but I’m not looking to offend Trey by saying something, and I’m not looking to try to justify where we are," Brown said. "I think we’re in a good spot. I hope this thing comes together soon, and I’m going to leave it at that.”

It doesn't feel like they're in a good spot. Check out Russini's exclusive report below:

EXCLUSIVE: Just spoke to Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who is currently in Jacksonville, FL. For the last 30 days, he had been at his home in Cincinnati and training.

But as training camp approached, he and his wife decided to leave.

They received two offers in a… pic.twitter.com/evlSdeWlpK
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) July 22, 2025

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