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The absence of star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson was noticeable as Cincinnati Bengals veterans arrived at training camp this week. ESPN confirmed that Hendrickson did not report to camp as he continues to seek a contract extension.
Although the Bengals officially start training camp on Wednesday, it seems unlikely that Hendrickson is currently in Ohio.
The defensive end posted a picture on his Instagram account on Tuesday, showing him driving along a highway in Florida. While Hendrickson is a Florida native, his exact destination at the time of posting the photo remains unclear.
Trey Hendrickson #91 of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on prior to a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on December 23, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Hendrickson skipped all Bengals offseason activities leading up to training camp. The 30-year-old received First-team All-Pro honors after leading the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season.
As of now, 2025 marks the final year of Hendrickson’s contract.
Cincinnati Bengals Trey Hendrickson speaks at a press conference after practice, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Kettering Health Practice Fields in Downtown Cincinnati. (Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
ESPN reported that negotiations between Hendrickson’s representatives and the Bengals have hit a snag over the amount of guaranteed money in a potential contract extension after the first year.
The reported guaranteed money request comes after other top pass rushers signed lucrative new contracts this offseason. In March, Myles Garrett received a record contract extension with estimated guarantees of $123.5 million.
T.J. Watt surpassed Garrett’s deal last week by reaching an agreement with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a three-year extension.
In May, Hendrickson was in Cincinnati for offseason workouts and made it clear to reporters that he was unwilling to take the field under his current contract terms.
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) holds up his finger after a defensive stop with 4 seconds left in the second half of the NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, at Empower Field in Denver, Colorado. Cincinnati Bengals defeated Denver Broncos 15-10. (Albert Cesare/The Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Team president Mike Brown described Hendrickson as a “good guy” but acknowledged that negotiating with him has been challenging.
“We like Trey as a person,” Brown said. “He’s a good guy. But when it comes to negotiations, he pushes hard. He gets emotional.
“We never have an easy time of it, but it always gets done, and I believe this one will too. But we’ll see.”
Bengals coach Zac Taylor provided an update on his communication with Hendrickson and rookie defensive lineman Shemar Stewart, who is also holding out due to a contract dispute. Taylor highlighted the differences between the two situations.
“Rookies are different because they haven’t proven themselves at this level yet,” Taylor explained. “Any missed time is crucial for them.
“For veterans like Hendrickson, we know what to expect when he gets here. We would love to have him in, love to get it done.”
The Bengals are set to open the regular season on Sept. 7 against the Browns.
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