The Bengals are reportedly considering using their franchise tag to keep Trey Hendrickson for the 2026 NFL season.According to NFL.com reporter Mike Garafolo, the Bengals may seek to keep their star defensive end in Cincinnati for another season after his contract expired last month.”To the Bengals and Trey Hendrickson,” Garafolo said in a segment on NFL GameDay on Sunday. “Remember that deal he did before this season after the holdout? It was a one-year deal where they came to an agreement on a number. Remember, we said, ‘OK, Trey Hendrickson is going to play out his last year, and then be a free agent, and then head elsewhere.’ Maybe. But maybe not. Our understanding is that the Bengals are still considering using the franchise tag. Now, could it be a tag and trade possibility? Perhaps. Sounds like all options are on the table for Hendrickson right now. But it is not a forgone conclusion that his time in Cincinnati is over. We will track this as we get into the scouting combine, and then closer to the start of free agency in March.”No additional details were available about the Bengals’ potential use of the franchise tag.Most recently, the Bengals placed a franchise tag on another one of their stars, wide receiver Tee Higgins, for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Higgins was later signed to a four-year $115 million deal last year that is set to keep him in Cincinnati through the 2028 season.In the NFL, all 32 teams are granted one franchise tag per season to keep a player from being signed by other teams. There are different types of franchise tags, however, with some allowing players to negotiate with other teams while they are tagged, and others strictly binding them to the team without alternatives.Franchise tagged players are then compensated either the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years or 120% of their previous salary (whichever is greater) throughout the season.Hendrickson is one of the best defensive ends in the NFL, having originally been drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 2017 before being signed to the Bengals in 2021. During his nine seasons in the league, Hendrickson has been named to the Pro Bowl four different times and was named First-team All-Pro in 2024. This came after he had the best season of his career that year, leading the entire NFL in quarterback sacks.However, after Hendrickson’s contract expired at the end of 2024, he repeatedly voiced frustrations with negotiations to re-sign him to the Bengals for the 2025 season. Ultimately, both agreed to a 1-year, $29 million contract. Despite this, Hendrickson ultimately saw little playing time in 2025 after a season full of injury, playing in just seven games throughout the year.

CINCINNATI —

The Bengals are reportedly considering using their franchise tag to keep Trey Hendrickson for the 2026 NFL season.

According to NFL.com reporter Mike Garafolo, the Bengals may seek to keep their star defensive end in Cincinnati for another season after his contract expired last month.

“To the Bengals and Trey Hendrickson,” Garafolo said in a segment on NFL GameDay on Sunday. “Remember that deal he did before this season after the holdout? It was a one-year deal where they came to an agreement on a number. Remember, we said, ‘OK, Trey Hendrickson is going to play out his last year, and then be a free agent, and then head elsewhere.’ Maybe. But maybe not. Our understanding is that the Bengals are still considering using the franchise tag. Now, could it be a tag and trade possibility? Perhaps. Sounds like all options are on the table for Hendrickson right now. But it is not a forgone conclusion that his time in Cincinnati is over. We will track this as we get into the scouting combine, and then closer to the start of free agency in March.”

No additional details were available about the Bengals’ potential use of the franchise tag.

Most recently, the Bengals placed a franchise tag on another one of their stars, wide receiver Tee Higgins, for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Higgins was later signed to a four-year $115 million deal last year that is set to keep him in Cincinnati through the 2028 season.

In the NFL, all 32 teams are granted one franchise tag per season to keep a player from being signed by other teams. There are different types of franchise tags, however, with some allowing players to negotiate with other teams while they are tagged, and others strictly binding them to the team without alternatives.

Franchise tagged players are then compensated either the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years or 120% of their previous salary (whichever is greater) throughout the season.

Hendrickson is one of the best defensive ends in the NFL, having originally been drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 2017 before being signed to the Bengals in 2021. During his nine seasons in the league, Hendrickson has been named to the Pro Bowl four different times and was named First-team All-Pro in 2024. This came after he had the best season of his career that year, leading the entire NFL in quarterback sacks.

However, after Hendrickson’s contract expired at the end of 2024, he repeatedly voiced frustrations with negotiations to re-sign him to the Bengals for the 2025 season.

Ultimately, both agreed to a 1-year, $29 million contract. Despite this, Hendrickson ultimately saw little playing time in 2025 after a season full of injury, playing in just seven games throughout the year.