Austin Konenski
Trey Hendrickson is shockingly still available in NFL free agency. Hendrickson, who previously played with the Cincinnati Bengals, was arguably the top EDGE rusher in free agency, but hasn’t signed during the second day of the legal tampering window. However, an NFL insider has revealed a surprising update that suggests why he is still unsigned.
The price gap between what Hendrickson wants and what teams are willing to pay is close to $10 million per year, as reported by CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. This is a shocking development, as the 31-year-old EDGE’s market is not what he expected. Hendrickson appears to be looking for $30 million per year-plus.
For reference, Odafe Oweh agreed to a deal with the Washington Commanders giving him $25 million per year, while Boye Mafe’s new contract with the Bengals has him at $20 million per year. Most notably, Jaelen Phillips agreed to a deal with the Carolina Panthers giving him $30 million per season.
Hendrickson was ranked as the top EDGE rusher free agent during the 2026 NFL offseason, so these numbers are likely serving as a baseline for his contract desires. However, the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year runner-up underwent core muscle surgery during the 2025-26 NFL season at 31 years old.
Hendrickson only had four sacks in 2025; however, he earned 17.5 sacks per season in the previous two years. There are several teams that want to sign Hendrickson, but there has to be a bridge in contract talks to complete a deal. As of now, a roughly $10 million gap is too much.
There will be one NFL team that signs a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber player, but Hendrickson might have to lower his asking price to complete a deal.
Read More: New England Patriots Interested in Trey Hendrickson
