Tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers is pivotal not just for contending purposes. Along with that, though, the future of Trey Hendrickson with the Bengals will squarely be a topic if the Bengals fall to 2-5.

“There have been several reports that the San Francisco 49ers will be knocking on the Bengals’ door in the attempt to acquire Hendrickson, and I’m told this is true,” Pauline said. “The Niners lost Nick Bosa for the season after the Pro Bowl pass rusher tore his ACL during a Week 3 contest against the Arizona Cardinals.

“I’m told the Indianapolis Colts, a team that has surprised many this season, are one of the teams that will make an outreach for Hendrickson. Despite being one of the better pass-rushing teams in the league, the Colts would like to add veteran depth at the edge spot.

”The Philadelphia Eagles are another team expected to make a bid for Hendrickson. They are one of the worst pass-rushing teams in the league, as free agent signings Azeez Ojulari and Joshua Uche have offered little to no impact this season.

“Finally, sources say they believe the Dallas Cowboys will be in the market for Hendrickson, assuming they are still in the playoff mix come November. The team needs a pass rusher. They presently own eight picks in the 2026 NFL draft, including a pair of first-rounders, and Jerry Jones told Todd Archer of ESPN, ‘The Cowboys got our eyes really open in ways we can help this defense.’”

If the Bengals win in Week 7 vs. the Steelers, they likely won’t trade Hendrickson because they’ll see a path towards getting back to contention. But if the alternative happens, could the Bengals do something they haven’t normally done in their franchise history?

It would still be unlikely, as this ownership group simply doesn’t trade guys like Hendrickson away. If that’s the plan, then here’s to hoping that the franchise tag is applied before Hendrickson can hit unrestricted free agency next year. Or else, the Bengals would risk losing him for nothing.

If the Bengals are planning not to use the tag, then they need to seriously consider dealing Hendrickson.