The Cincinnati Bengals checked a huge item off their summer to-do list this week by reaching a short-term solution with one of their biggest playmakers.
On Monday, the Bengals finalized a reworked one-year deal for star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson worth $30 million. The contract keeps him in Cincinnati through the 2025 season.
While the agreement provides some stability, the real win is what it means for the Bengals as a whole. Head coach Zac Taylor made it clear Tuesday that locking down his defensive cornerstone isn’t just about dollars and years on a contract.
Bengals Get Major Boost
There’s no question about it, having Hendrickson back in the lineup just days before NFL Week 1 is the advantage that Taylor and defensive coordinator Al Golden needed to “start fast” in the 2025-26 season.
“I think it’s just great peace of mind, not only for us, but for him to know what the situation is.”
“We’re good to go,” Taylor told reporters on a Tuesday Zoom call.
To some, that may just sound like a pre- regular season coach cliche.
But Taylor isn’t overselling it.
The Bengals are gunning toward a much sharper 17-game slate than what they had in 2024. With a healthy Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase paving the road offensively, the team has AFC title aspirations.
And removing uncertainty around one of the NFL’s most disruptive edge defenders is no small thing.
Leadership and Focus From Hendrickson
The Bengals didn’t just stumble into a solution this summer. They have been navigating one of the most complex cap situations in the league, with Burrow, Chase and Higgins all commanding top-tier money.
Finding a way to reward Hendrickson without upsetting the foundation took some creativity — something Taylor believes doesn’t get “enough credit for” nationally.
“Balancing a lot of talented players is not easy, especially when it’s time for them to get paid,” Taylor acknowledged.
“And I don’t think our organization gets enough credit for how they balance all this, how they handle it. It’s not simple.”
The Bengals know better than most how fragile a championship window can be.
Instead of letting go of their Pro Bowl driving force on defense, or letting the situation continue to be a distraction well into the year, the front office and the coaching staff found common ground.
But the most telling part of the process has been how Hendrickson has handled himself before the deal happened.
Some stars in his position might have stepped back or gone mute like others in the modern era.
Hendrickson did the opposite. He showed up to meetings, arrived early to get the work in, and leaned into his role as a mentor.
“I think since he arrived in training camp, he’s invested in the players around him, and he’s got a lot of knowledge he wants to pass down… he’s said that to me multiple times, just about the Cam Jordans of the world and what they gave to him,” Taylor said.
“And so now he’s got a chance to repay the favor with some of these young guys that we have.”
Hendrickson has been one of the Bengals’ most consistent performers since signing in 2021, racking up 57 sacks in four seasons.
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