All signs, including recent reporting, hint at a final goodbye between the Cincinnati Bengals and Trey Hendrickson this offseason.
But it has never been that simple with the Bengals and Hendrickson, right?
Before anything else, there’s the matter of need. Both Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai are scheduled to be free agents, leaving the Bengals pass-rush totally reliant on Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart.
That and Hendrickson’s production are reasons why PFF’s Bradley Locker writes that he’s the one free agent the Bengals can’t afford to lose:
“The 2024 All-Pro was limited to just 285 snaps this season, but he still flourished with a 90.0 PFF pass-rush grade and 23 pressures across seven games. He finished fourth on the team in pressures and paced the unit in PFF overall grade (minimum 100 snaps), which speaks volumes about the state of the Bengals’ pass rush without him.”
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And to be fair, the Bengals’ list of important free agents this offseason is a very short one.
Onlookers shouldn’t scoff at the idea of a Hendrickson return, either. He’s 31, wants a big contract and coming off an injury, so it’s always possible he has a quiet market in free agency, then comes back on a short deal, if not the franchise tag.
Right now, though, Hendrickson is pretty much a layup as the Bengals’ top free agent.
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This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals’ top free agent they can’t afford to lose isn’t a shocker
Reporting by Chris Roling, Bengals Wire / Bengals Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
