NFL Insider Remains Optimistic About Trey Hendrickson's Future With Bengals: 'They're Going to Pay Him'

CINCINNATI — Trey Hendrickson is clearly upset about his contract situation and wants a resolution in the near future.

"The offers prior to the draft did not reflect the vision we shared and were promised last offseason if I continued to play at a high level," Hendrickson said in a statement on Monday. "Coaches are aware of these past conversations. Rather than using collaboration to get us to a point to bring me home to the team, they are no longer communicating. I have been eagerly awaiting a resolution of this situation, but that’s hard to do when there is no discussion and an evident lack of interest in reaching mutual goals.”

Despite his frustration, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport is optimistic that a deal will get done.

"He wants a deal, but the team hasn't shown the urgency that he wants. He deserves a raise. He is awesome and he deserves more money," Rapoport said on the Pat McAfee Show. "I believe they're going to give it to him. It just hasn't happened yet and they just haven't struck the right deal yet. The Bengals are just a little bit more of a methodical organization than a lot of teams. We saw how long it took for them to do the Ja'Marr and Tee deal."

Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks last season with 17.5. He has 35 sacks over the past two seasons and is looking to get a substantial raise in 2025 and beyond.

Hendrickson currently has one year left on his current contract. He'll make $16 million in base salary this season without a new deal.

In March, we wrote that an agreement could take some time to come together.

Two months have passed since that article and Hendrickson still doesn't have a new deal.

"I understand he's mad," Rapoport added. "I do believe they're going to pay him properly and eventually get this done and he'll be on the field, rich and happy."

Watch the clip below:

"I believe if the Bengals were gonna trade Trey Hendrickson it would have happened already..

I understand why he's upset because he deserves more money..

I believe they're gonna give it to him but they haven't struck a deal yet" ~ @RapSheet #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/7YfJf1pFzJ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 12, 2025

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