Is the Colts trading for Bengals star DE Trey Hendrickson still an option?
Contract negotiations have not progressed between the Cincinnati Bengals and star defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
On Monday, Hendrickson said in a statement to ESPN that no communication had taken place between his camp and the Bengals’ organization since the NFL draft.
“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,” Hendrickson’s statement said.
On Tuesday, as the Bengals practiced, Hendrickson was present, but he did not participate in the voluntary workout.
“We’re just not agreeing on some parts of what was communicated because there weren’t verbal numbers that could forecast what Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett, and Danielle Hunter are getting,” Hendrickson said. “So having that conversation in July of 2024, does not forecast May of 2025.”
Hendrickson is entering the final year of his contract and has been one of the top-producing pass rushers in the NFL over the last four seasons, and this includes leading the league in sacks in 2024.
And during that time, especially this offseason with new deals for Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby, the edge rusher market has continued to soar, with Hendrickson now wanting a new deal to reflect where the market is at and the top-tier production he’s had.
Hendrickson to the Colts has been a talking point here and there throughout this offseason, and it’s easy to see why. New Colts’ defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo spent several years with Hendrickson in Cincinnati, and Indianapolis’ defensive end position could have used more depth and juice after Dayo Odeyingbo headed elsewhere in free agency.
The challenge with acquiring Hendrickson has always been all that would have to be given up. The Colts would have to part with premium draft capital and then extend Hendrickson, which of course, will require a good amount of salary cap space in future years.
Beyond those important factors, the addition of JT Tuimoloau in the draft for the Colts, who can potentially provide a Sam Hubbard-like presence for Anarumo, now makes acquiring Hendrickson less likely than before, even as the uncertainty around his tenure in Cincinnati grows.