Bengals Predicted to Lose Star Pass Rusher Trey Hendrickson to AFC Contender in Free Agency

The Cincinnati Bengals have been mixed up in a lot of drama with superstar edge rusher Trey Hendrickson over the last few years. Hendrickson seems to want a massive contract with the Bengals, but they haven't been willing to give him that kind of long-term deal.

Instead, the Bengals opted to pay Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins. It's hard to blame Cincinnati for going all in on the offensive side of the ball when they have such incredible players like the trio listed above.

Defense has proven to win championships, and it was the case again this season as the Seattle Seahawks defense dominated their way to a Super Bowl title. Still, the Bengals remain likely to lose Hendrickson.

Ayrton Ostly of USA Today recently predicted the Bengals would lose Hendrickson in free agency to the New England Patriots. The Patriots recently came up one game short of bringing home the Super Bowl trophy.

Trey Hendrickson is Likely Leaving Cincinnati This Offseason

Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickso — Oct 26, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) runs out to the field before the game against the New York Jets at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

"Free agency worked well for the Patriots in 2025 and could work well again in 2026. Because of years of bad drafting, there aren't many young players on extensions on New England's roster. They once again have ample cap space entering the offseason," Ostly wrote. "Hendrickson is far from a long-term starter entering his age-32 season. But the Patriots need some pass-rush juice off the edge. Hendrickson could hold things over for a year or two as the team continues to churn out more talent from the draft."

With Hendrickson likely looking for a huge contract, the Patriots make sense as a landing spot. New England is still paying Drake Maye on his rookie scale deal instead of a massive contract, so they have plenty of cap flexibility.

Hendrickson is projected to sign a 3-year, $99 million contract in free agency.

During the Super Bowl, the Patriots received a first hand look at how impactful a dominant pass rush could be. The Patriots lost to the Seahawks and a lot of it had to do with the pressure that Seattle got on Maye.

There will be plenty of teams interested in Hendrickson this offseason. He's a valuable piece that could realistically have a few more dominant years left in the NFL. For a breakdown of what the Bengals could do with Hendrickson ahead of free agency, go here.

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