Trey Hendrickson's contract standoff with the Bengals is not over, but his holdout will be soon.
Hendrickson, the 2024 NFL sack leader, is planning to report to Bengals camp Wednesday, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday.
Hendrickson and the Bengals have no new deal in place, but he intends to show up as the parties work toward hopefully ending their stalemate.
Last week, Rapoport reported the impasse centered on disagreements in how much guaranteed money Hendrickson would receive in a potential new deal. The prolonged dispute -- which saw Hendrickson publicly voice his frustrations with a lack of movement on a new deal in May, hold out of offseason activities and stay away from the start of camp -- has needed some encouraging news. Hendrickson's presence does not necessarily indicate he's nearing an agreement with Cincinnati, but the fact he intends to show up is a positive sign as his representation and the Bengals front office continue to work toward a deal.
With 35 sacks combined over the last two seasons, Hendrickson is deserving of a new deal, especially after of the top players at his position (Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt) all received lucrative extensions in 2025. Cincinnati gave Hendrickson's representation permission to seek a trade earlier in the offseason but that didn't produce much movement during a period in which Hendrickson publicly stated there was "nowhere I'd rather be" than Cincinnati.
On Wednesday, he'll make good on that statement by showing up for camp and preventing the Bengals from being able to fine him for missing additional practices. We'll see if that leads to a deal.
