Monday, Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson popped up on the team’s social media feed that showcased practice highlights.
That struck some as odd, considering Hendrickson’s very strategically timed trade request near the 2024 NFL draft due to dissatisfaction with his pay and length of contract.
But it turns out Hendrickson has been around the team this entire time despite the business side of things.
As detailed by Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, Hendrickson has been in Cincinnati working out like any normal offseason.
And the star defender says there’s been a balance he needs to strike between the business side and how he can best help the team: “This is where separating business and the team is difficult. At what point am I contradicting what I want? Long-term, winning games, all those things are what I want to do here in Cincinnati and removing myself from the team doesn’t help the team.”
The long-term team goal for Hendrickson sounds like it remains the same and he even tells Hobson that the front office continues to be “transparent and respectful” to him.
“My mindset is to win a Super Bowl and I think we’ve got the quarterback and the pieces to do it,” Hendrickson said. “I want to be here a long time. I want to win football games and I want to bring a Super Bowl to Cincinnati.”
These developments don’t mean player or front office have shifted positions on things or made significant progress. As always, it’s worth pointing out that Hendrickson inked a one-year extension with a pay bump last offseason — yet also remains underpaid compared to his production.
It’s a tricky situation, clearly, but the star defender’s approach so far would indicate that this summer won’t feature a holdout or drama.
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