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Glimmer of Hope in Cincinnati? – Trey Hendrickson Set To Join Teammates at Bengals’ Training Camp

Will Trey Hendrickson's presence at training camp speed up extension talks?

Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images

Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson was the last of the players to still hold out of training camp, which began last week. However, the latest news, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter, is that the 2024 sack leader is now back with the team at the Bengals training camp.

Hendrickson was earlier spending his time in Florida since he didn’t want to be a cause of distraction to his teammates, but with the fines mounting, it seems that he has decided to reverse his decision.

ESPN sources: Trey Hendrickson is planning to report to Bengals camp Wednesday, ending his holdout without being any closer to a new deal, per sources. Reporting to camp stops the $50,000 per day fines and also serves as a good-faith gesture to try to jumpstart negotiations.

The… pic.twitter.com/qxToasKHtM
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 29, 2025

Trey Hendrickson’s Contract Status

Hendrickson might be heading to camp in Cincinnati, where he will join his teammates. However, it is believed that he will not partake in any of the on-field activities and will merely be present so as to avoid the mounting fines.

As per the league’s policy, players holding out are subjected to a $50,000 fine for each day that they miss. Of course, it goes without saying that this is the current situation since the Bengals have still not reached a deal with their best player on defense.

Trey Hendrickson arrives at Bengals camp

Holdout over. Hold-in begins. pic.twitter.com/qIJboIonYN
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) July 30, 2025

The entire extension saga started following the end of the 2024 season when the former Saints’ defender requested a trade. While the team agreed, they were unable to find a suitable trade partner. Since then, Hendrickson is still waiting for a new contract as he feels the current one is not doing justice to his production.

Earlier, in the initial days of the training camp, Hendrickson had also mentioned to the NFL media that if he does not get the contract he is seeking, he would even consider not coming back to play at all in the upcoming season.

Why Haven’t the Bengals Managed To Sign Hendrickson Yet?

Being one of the premier pass rushers in the game today, Hendrickson’s current deal is significantly lower than what others at his position are earning. A flurry of moves took place this offseason with Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby, and T.J. Watt all signing big-money deals.

Hendrickson would feel that he belongs at the same level as these players, especially since he has 35 sacks over two seasons, and led the league in sacks last year with 17.5. He has also been the best defender on the Bengals roster, worthy of a new deal.

Since joining the Bengals in 2021, Trey Hendrickson ranks:

🐅 3rd in the NFL in sacks (57)
🐅 2nd in QB hits (114)
🐅 5th in total pressures (299)
🐅 2nd in forced fumbles (11)

Training camp is underway, but the 19th-ranked player in PFSN’s Top 100 is still without a new deal. pic.twitter.com/Qbsmftdexh
— PFSN (@PFSN365) July 28, 2025

An update earlier this month by Adam Schefter provided further insight as to why the Bengals aren’t able to work out a deal. As per the ESPN insider, the problem lies in the guaranteed money. Cincinnati is offering its defender one year’s worth of guaranteed money, while his counterparts are all getting three years’ worth.

With Hendrickson now back at the Bengals’ training camp, it remains to be seen if an amicable dialogue between the two parties can lead to a positive decision. There are still plenty of questions up in the air, such as whether or not a deal will get finalized soon, and if not, will Hendrickson play this season?

Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images

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Devavrat Kulkarni

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I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!