Bengals, Trey Hendrickson reach agreement on $14M raise, ending hold-in after months-long contract saga

After months of back-and-forth, it looks like the Cincinnati Bengals and star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson are finally on the same page. According to multiple reports, the two sides have reached an agreement that will hand the defensive end a hefty $14 million raise on his current deal.

Hendrickson, who was entering the final year of his contract and slated to pocket $15.8 million in base salary, now sees his 2025 earnings jump to a staggering $30 million. That bump catapults him into the upper echelon of the NFL’s highest-paid defenders, cementing his value as the Bengals’ defensive cornerstone.

Just when it seemed like contract talks had completely hit a wall between the Bengals and Trey Hendrickson, the two sides found their way back to the negotiating table this week. On Monday morning, NFL insider Jordan Schultz revealed that discussions had been revived, with the focus shifting toward a pay bump for Hendrickson this season while still letting the deal run its course at year’s end.

The short-term fix being floated is a new one-year agreement with a heftier salary, which would cool tensions for now but likely set the stage for another round of tough negotiations next offseason.

It’s been a rocky road for months. Hendrickson first explored a trade back in March as frustration over stalled talks grew. Even last week—six months after that initial request—Cincinnati was once again weighing trade scenarios with their star edge rusher as negotiations dragged on.

The 29-year-old has been firm about his stance. Back in May, he made it clear he wouldn’t suit up under the current deal, pointing out that he’d been assured a bigger payday if he kept delivering elite performances. He more than lived up to his end of the bargain in 2024, producing the best season of his career with 33 solo tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and a league-leading 17.5 sacks—matching his career high.

Trey Hendrickson didn't feature in any of Cincinnati’s three preseason outings, staging a “hold-in” while his contract situation lingered. Without him, the Bengals looked shaky, managing just one win and showing plenty of cracks on defense. Their final tune-up was especially brutal—a 41-14 drubbing at the hands of the Colts, who piled up 472 total yards and moved the chains 26 times with ease.

With that kind of defensive performance fresh in mind, Cincinnati will be more than eager to have their star pass rusher back in the fold when the regular season kicks off against the Browns on Sunday, September 7.