The Cincinnati Bengals officially have a player holding out, and it just so happens to be their best player on defense, edge rusher Trey Hendrickson.
Per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Hendrickson will not attend Cincinnati’s mandatory minicamp this week, which runs from June 10 through June 12.
Of course, Hendrickson’s attendance is required, as the name suggests, so he’ll be subject to a fine for each day he misses. Here’s the breakdown.
- Day 1: $17,462
- Day 2: $34,925
- Day 3: $52,381
- Total: $104,768
Hendrickson has been seeking a new deal since last year, and while he did eventually cave in 2024, that is not going to happen in 2025.
Hendrickson is dug in, as evidenced by his holdout. He has also stated he will not play for the Bengals without a new deal. Hendrickson has also been very public in expressing his frustration with the process.
“We’ve tried to keep it as least amount as personal as possible, but at some point in this process it’s becomes personal,” Hendrickson said last month. “Being sent 30 days before mandatory camp, or how many ever days it is, that if I don’t show up I will be fined alludes to the fact that something won’t get done in that time frame.”
“And when there’s a lack of communication in any relationship, if it’s business or personal relationship, lack of communication leads to animosity, and that leaves my narrative only to me with no clear direction,” Hendrickson added.
Hendrickson made those comments while in attendance at voluntary OTAs, where he did not take part. But a holdout isn’t a real holdout until a player misses mandatory portions of the offseason, so Hendrickson’s is now official.
In terms of what Hendrickson is looking for, we know it’s more than $28 million per year, as that is the offer Cincy had on the table for him, according to Pro Football Talks’ Mike Florio.
We’d suspect Hendrickson is looking for a deal that pays him an annual average in between Myles Garrett’s $40 million and Maxx Crosby’s $35.5 million.
Hendrickson can certainly make the case he deserves top-of-the-market money in a new deal after leading the NFL in sacks in 2024, and with the four-time Pro Bowler having the most sacks in the league since 2023.
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