Trey Hendrickson standing agency in Bengals contract dispute

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson remains entrenched in his position on not playing in the upcoming season.

Hendrickson spoke to ESPN’s Laura Rutledge in Landover, Maryland, ahead of Cincinnati’s game against the Washington Commanders and the core tenets of his stance in his contract negotiations are still intact.

Hendrickson told Rutledge that he and the team are in close agreement on the total average annual salary and the length of the deal.

The sticking point remains the guaranteed money in a potential extension, with Cincinnati’s stance on not providing secured salary after the first season leaving progress at a standstill.

At the beginning of the offseason, the Bengals granted Hendrickson the ability to seek a club that was willing to acquire the All-Pro edge rusher, but, so far, nothing has materialized.

The four-time Pro Bowl player who will turn 31 this fall, is set to make $16 million this season. He ended his holdout on July 30 and has been with the team since then but not practicing.

He is coming off his best season after he led the NFL with 17.5 total sacks in 2024. Hendrickson’s comments Monday are among the few he has made since ending his holdout and reporting to training camp. He has not practiced with the Bengals as the two sides seek to resolve the contract dispute.

“Recognition’s not something I’m chasing,” Hendrickson said on July 30. “It’s not. I think I’ve made my statements clear. Security is something that I value and [telling] my wife where we’re going to play. Those are the things that matter to me.”