Trey Hendrickson’s Bold Hold-In Pays Off: Bengals Star Gets $14 Million Raise!

In a dramatic turn of events, Cincinnati Bengals star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson has successfully negotiated a significant pay raise, resolving his contract situation ahead of the upcoming NFL season.

According to sources, Hendrickson will receive a whopping $14 million increase for the 2025 season, elevating his salary to an impressive $30 million.

This decision underscores the Bengals’ commitment to retaining their top talent and addressing the financial concerns of their key players.

The revised contract also includes a $1 million incentive that Hendrickson can earn if he plays at least 60% of the snaps and the Bengals qualify for the playoffs.

This incentive not only reflects the team’s confidence in Hendrickson’s abilities but also serves as a motivating factor for the player to maintain his performance throughout the season.

Hendrickson is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, making this pay bump even more crucial for both parties.

Prior to this agreement, Hendrickson had opted out of all offseason workouts, including training camp, while pushing for a new deal.

He was adamant that he would not play under his original contract, which offered a salary of $16 million.

The Bengals had previously proposed a two-year, $79 million extension that would have positioned Hendrickson among the top three pass rushers in the league in terms of new dollars.

This deal would have equated to a staggering $95 million over three years, taking into account his original base salary for 2025.

However, the proposal included $33 million in guarantees with no assurances beyond 2025, which Hendrickson deemed unacceptable.

At 30 years old, Hendrickson is coming off the best season of his career, having recorded an impressive 17.5 sacks in 2024, leading the league in that category.

His performance earned him a spot on The Associated Press All-Pro team and marked his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl selection.

Remarkably, he matched his sack total from the previous season, solidifying his status as one of the premier edge rushers in the NFL.

This latest deal marks the third significant contract adjustment the Bengals have made this offseason in their efforts to maintain a competitive roster.

In March, the team signed wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to lucrative extensions, with Chase’s four-year deal worth $161 million setting the record for the highest average annual salary for a non-quarterback at that time.

Higgins also secured a substantial three-year contract worth $115 million.

With this new agreement, Hendrickson becomes the fourth player on the Bengals’ roster, joining quarterback Joe Burrow, to earn an average salary of at least $30 million annually.

He is now one of only six edge rushers in the NFL to reach this financial milestone, according to OverTheCap.com.

Interestingly, this is not the first time Hendrickson has received a short-term cash infusion from the Bengals.

In 2023, he signed a one-year extension that featured an $8 million signing bonus, extending the four-year deal he initially signed with the team, which was valued at $60 million.

The agreement reached on Monday represents a compromise for both Hendrickson and the Bengals as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Throughout the offseason, Hendrickson had expressed a desire for a long-term deal with significant guaranteed money.

Ahead of the team’s second preseason game against the Washington Commanders, he revealed to ESPN’s Laura Rutledge that both sides had agreed on the length and total value of a potential contract extension.

While this new arrangement significantly enhances the value of Hendrickson’s contract for 2025, he is still slated to enter free agency in 2026.

Hendrickson had previously made it clear that he would not play under his current salary, stating, “There are plans on not having to play on the current deal. That’s something we have [as] a common goal to get to. That’s the plan moving forward.”

At the Bengals’ annual media luncheon in July, team president Mike Brown acknowledged Hendrickson’s outstanding contributions and indicated that he believed the player deserved a raise.

“He’s a guy that I’ve said before has earned a raise and an extension,” Brown stated.

“I’d love to give him one. We’re trying to work one out. It’s a good problem to have.”

As the Bengals gear up for the new season, the resolution of Hendrickson’s contract situation is a significant step in maintaining their competitive edge.

With a talented roster and a motivated star pass rusher, the Bengals are poised to make a strong push in the upcoming NFL campaign.