Entering the NFL Week 15 schedule with a 4-9 record, in third place of the AFC North, is not where the Cincinnati Bengals thought they’d be. The truth is, this season hasn’t gone according to plan for many of the team’s top talents, just ask Joe Burrow, who had to miss nine games due to injury.
But he’s not alone.
First-team All-Pro pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson has also had a season to forget. He’s recorded just four sacks after leading the NFL with 17.5 a season ago. Though, the four-time Pro Bowler has also only played in seven of the team’s 13 games.
Now, Hendrickson is out for the season after undergoing core muscle surgery. Yet, as Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer recently stated, Hendrickson may have played his final snap with the Bengals. It should be noted that he’s in the final year of his contract and is set for free agency at season’s end.
“Trey Hendrickson has probably played his final snap in Cincinnati after making $29 million this year for four sacks in seven games. The Bengals had grown frustrated with the drama around Hendrickson the past couple of years, and Hendrickson had grown tired of having to fight for a contract correction. But they made it work to keep pursuing a few common goals. And now that we’re here, it seems like the divorce probably came a year too late.”
SI’s Albert Breer on Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson will be a highly sought-after free agent this offseason. Chances are, the Bengals won’t be among the highest bidders.
While we don’t know what Hendrickson will prioritize in free agency, our guess is that he tries to find a competitive team that is still willing to make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid defensive ends. He shouldn’t have any trouble finding a suitor rather quickly on the open market.
Related: 2025 NFL Report Card: Grading All 32 Teams Before Week 15
