"This is how management fails its players" - NFL insider slams Bengals for opening Trey Hendrickson trade offers

NFL insider Trey Wingo blasted the Cincinnati Bengals organization for how they handled the Trey Hendrickson situation.

Hendrickson is one of the top pass rushers in the NFL, but he's entering the final year of his deal, and he has wanted a contract extension. However, no deal has happened, which led to a holdout.

As Hendrickson returned to camp, the hope was that a deal would happen shortly after. But that wasn't the case, and now Cincinnati is exploring trade options for Hendrickson.

With the Bengals looking at the trade market, Wingo blasted Cincinnati's front office for how they have handled it.

trey wingo

@wingoz

Let’s recap: the Bengals have a generational Hall of Fame QB and they’ve paid his top two targets. Despite all of this, they missed the playoffs last season because their defense was all terrible. So how do they fix it? By listening to trade offers for their best defensive

"Let’s recap: the Bengals have a generational Hall of Fame QB and they’ve paid his top two targets. Despite all of this, they missed the playoffs last season because their defense was all terrible. So how do they fix it? By listening to trade offers for their best defensive player unsigned defensive end Trey Hendrickson. This is how management fails its players," Wingo wrote.

Hendrickson is set to have a cap hit of $18.6 million, which is relatively cheap for an elite pass rusher. So, he was hoping to work out a new deal that would keep him with the Bengals for years to come, but that seems unlikely.

Wingo also thinks the Bengals' looking to trade Hendrickson is setting up the team to fail, as their defense will be even worse than it was last year.

Bengals' offer to Trey Hendrickson is 'atrociously low'

With Trey Hendrickson on the final year of his deal, he has made it clear he won't play on it.

Hendrickson will get $16 million, although the cap hit is higher. As the two sides have tried to negotiate, the star pass rusher spoke to Manti Te'o and claimed the offer was 'atrociously low.'

Tom Pelissero

@TomPelissero

On @gmfb, Manti Te'o says he spoke with Trey Hendrickson, who said of the #Bengals' offer and specifically guarantees: "They are atrociously, atrociously low." Hendrickson has made clear he won't play on the last year of his current deal, which is worth $16 million in 2025.

"On @gmfb, Manti Te'o says he spoke with Trey Hendrickson, who said of the #Bengals' offer and specifically guarantees: "They are atrociously, atrociously low." Hendrickson has made clear he won't play on the last year of his current deal, which is worth $16 million in 2025."

Hendrickson is coming off a season where he recorded 46 tackles, 17.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. It was his second-straight season with 17.5 sacks.

Since signing with the Bengals as a free agent in 2021, Hendrickson has become one of the top pass rushers in the NFL.

Cincinnati opens its 2025 NFL season on Sept. 7 against the Cleveland Browns.