Cincinnati Bengals News: DE Trey Hendrickson Signs Extension

The Cincinnati Bengals announced today they have signed defensive end Trey Hendrickson to a one-year extension which will keep him in Cincinnati through 2025.

Hendrickson, 28, has recorded 22 sacks in his first two seasons with the Bengals, ranking eighth in the league during that span. Hendrickson ranks sixth in pressures with 80, trailing only Nick Bosa (104), Myles Garrett (90), Maxx Crosby (89), Micah Parson (88), and Matthew Judon (82).

Hendrickson, who will turn 29 in December, also has six forced fumbles, which is tied for sixth, just two shy of Shaquille Leonard and Bosa’s league lead. But Hendrickson’s annual average salary of $15 million ranked 18th among edge rushers before Thursday’s deal.

Today’s deal is a way to reward Hendrickson for outplaying his contract as much as it is keeping him around an extra season.

While everyone in the NFL universe awaits the Joe Burrow extension to reset the market and dictate who the Bengals can afford after that, the franchise pulled Hendrickson from the line of dominos and got him done.

The Bengals originally signed Hendrickson to a four-year, $60 million free agent contract in 2021, a deal that was met with skepticism after he had produced only one big year with the Saints. And the 13.5 sacks he recorded with the Saints in 2020 were met with questions about how many of them were the result of cleaning up after Cameron Jordan and David Onyemata.

The Hendrickson signing essentially was a one-for-one swap as the Bengals elected to let Carl Lawson, who had been a much more consistent rusher in terms of pressures but often failed to finish with sacks, walk in free agency.

Lawson ruptured his Achilles in his first training camp with the Jets and missed the entire season, while Hendrickson was a dominant force for a Bengals defense that helped steer the franchise to a division title, its first postseason victory in 31 years, and a trip to Super Bowl LIV. Hendrickson had 3.5 sacks, eight pressures, and a forced fumble in the four postseason games that year despite playing through a back injury.

Hendrickson has been one of the emotional leaders of Lou Anarumo’s defense since he arrived, with his nickname of “Blackout Trey” an indication of the intensity and ferocity he plays with, both in games and, as we saw Wednesday in a skirmish with Orlando Brown Jr., sometimes in practice.

The Bengals have been leery of giving third contracts to guys who will be in their 30s after spending more than $110 million on productive-yet-aging defensive linemen Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins in 2018. But Hendrickson will play most of the final year of his deal at age 30, turning 31 in December of the 2025 season.