After news emerged that the Cincinnati Bengals had granted permission for four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson to seek a trade, eyebrows were raised. Now, former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum is questioning Joe Burrow’s happiness in Cincinnati.
Mike Tannenbaum Suggests Bengals Should Be “Worried About Joe Burrow”
The Bengals entered the 2025 offseason with major financial decisions to make. With new contracts needed for 2024 NFL sack leader Hendrickson and star wide receiver duo Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, many doubted whether the team could keep all three happy.
And those doubts now appear to have been justified. After franchise-tagging Higgins for a second straight season, the Bengals have now allowed Hendrickson to seek a trade.
The Bengals have taken the rare step of granting All-Pro DE Trey Hendrickson permission to seek a trade. “It’s been an honor and privilege to represent Cincinnati over the last four years,” said Hendrickson, the NFL’s sack leader. “I love this city and organization. I appreciate… pic.twitter.com/7P7Hbe2Y9e
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 6, 2025
Tannenbaum believes the Bengals’ handling of their star players has gone too far. Speaking on ESPN’s “Get Up,” the former Jets general manager and Dolphins executive vice president had plenty to say on the matter.
“If I’m Cincinnati, I am significantly worried about Joe Burrow,” he said.
“You know, he sat down with ESPN and Laura Rutledge at the Super Bowl and he talked about — in great detail — what players should get paid, cap numbers, and cash flow. And you’re tagging Tee Higgins, who we’re talking about here, for the second consecutive year.”
Tannenbaum Questions Bengals’ Decisions: “Is Burrow All-In Here?”
Tannenbaum continued his criticism of Cincinnati’s roster management:
“Trey Hendrickson, guys, has 35 sacks over the last two years. He’s 30 years old, he’s high character—those guys never, ever, ever leave your building, ever. And Tee Higgins needs to get paid. And if I’m Cincinnati, I’m worried about, ‘Is Joe Burrow all-in here?'”
"If I'm Cincinnati, I am significantly worried about Joe Burrow."
—@RealTannenbaum on the uncertainty in Cincy following Trey Hendrickson's trade request pic.twitter.com/GCdTesrSaW
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) March 7, 2025
The Bengals were already facing a challenge in keeping their top talent happy this offseason, and so far, they seem to have failed on two of three counts. The announcement that Higgins would be franchise-tagged for a second straight year came not from the team, but from Higgins himself in a blunt post. Clearly unimpressed, the receiver simply wrote: “tag.”
tag.
— Tee Higgins⁵ (@teehiggins5) March 3, 2025
Now, with Hendrickson also signaling his disapproval of Cincinnati’s contract offers, the team appears set to rely heavily on its offense again in 2025 after struggling defensively last season. Chase is expected to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in football once his extension is finalized, but the Bengals’ defense could suffer as a result.
If Cincinnati hopes to return to the playoffs in 2025, a strong start will be crucial—something they lacked in 2024. But if this offseason turns into another summer of discontent, the Bengals could be facing the same problems come September.