The Cincinnati Bengals have a budding Trey Hendrickson problem this offseason.
That much was revealed in a recent report, which wasn’t all that shocking considering Hendrickson demanded a trade last offseason due to dissatisfaction with his contract.
But one could argue that Hendrickson ranks second or third in terms of the Big Three needing new deals from the Bengals this offseason. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are the others.
And that’s why Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport suggests the Bengals trade Hendrickson to the Detroit Lions in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick and 2026 third-round pick:
Hendrickson and Hutchinson would be a phenomenal duo on the edge. The Lions have the salary-cap space to make an extension for Hendrickson work.
Push your chips into the middle of the table, Lions. Get what you can for a player who won’t be extended, Bengals.
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Given the miserable state of the defense around Hendrickson and his NFL-leading 17.5 sacks last year, it’s hard to imagine the Bengals let him get away.
That said, this is about the compensation the Bengals could expect if things get to this point. While he paced the NFL in sacks and doesn’t appear to be slowing down just yet, Hendrickson is 30 years old and will want a top-tier extension.
The Bengals, of course, are in win-now mode and haven’t developed talent properly over the last few years, so swapping Hendrickson for draft picks would be a major step back in more ways than one.
