This offseason is a big one for the Cincinnati Bengals. With Joe Burrow’s comments sounding the alarm on the team’s playoff hopes for 2026 and beyond, the Bengals cannot afford to sit on their laurels this offseason.

Improving the defense is no longer simply a need; it’s something the Bengals have to do. In improving the defensive side of the ball, the future of Trey Hendrickson, the All-Pro pass rusher, comes into focus. Will he return to Cincinnati?

According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, the Bengals have a plan with Hendrickson regarding the franchise tag that seemingly indicates what the Bengals are going to do with the All-Pro pass rusher this offseason.

Bengals expected to make franchise tag decision on Trey Hendrickson to end Cincinnati’s future

“While the Bengals retained the right to tag him after protracted talks last offseason, sources deem it unlikely Cincinnati allocates that much money to the position given all of its other defensive needs,” Jones writes.

While the Bengals could be looking to tag Hendrickson and keep an All-Pro pass rusher in Cincinnati, such a future is not expected to occur.

Instead, Hendrickson is more likely to hit the open market, and the Bengals are most likely going to let him sign elsewhere this offseason.

It’s not like he’s leaving the Bengals with nothing when he departs the team. As long as the Bengals don’t overstep in free agency, they will be able to land a very strong compensatory draft pick for Hendrickson’s new deal.

More: Bengals get good news amid $50 million contract projection for Trey Hendrickson

Hendrickson could land a deal north of $20 million per-year, which likely would mean the Bengals get, at worst, a fourth-round draft pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Tagging and trading him won’t give the Bengals much better value. The 32-year-old pass rusher, coming off an injury-shortened 2025 season, might not draw a ton of interest. But, he’ll draw enough that the Bengals letting him walk is the right choice.

Cincinnati is expected to let Hendrickson hit the open market, not using the franchise tag on their All-Pro pass rusher.

The defense is going to look different next season, and Hendrickson’s absence is looking like the most notable change from the last few years that will occur in 2026.

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