Unlike T.J. Watt, Trey Hendrickson not reporting to the Bengals’ mandatory minicamp surprised precisely nobody who has paid attention. He has previously said that he is unwilling to play a snap on his current contract, so of course he won’t practice, either. But it’s always an extra layer when a player acts on a threat, so here we are.
Watt stunned fans and reporters when he didn’t show up to the Steelers’ minicamp yesterday. Bengals beat writers fully expected not to see him in Cincinnati, though, given his timeline. He has been very public about his frustrations with the team, and frankly, the feeling seems mutual. It’s not clear that there is a satisfying resolution here, but there is plenty of time to work things out.
Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks last season and made the first-team All-Pro list. While he has been one of the most productive pass-rushers in the NFL, the Bengals don’t want to pay him like it. Reportedly, he is seeking a contract in Maxx Crosby territory, but the team is offering roughly Watt’s current APY. That’s about 25 percent more than they’re willing to pay him, in other words–$28 million to $35.
A short time ago, Jeremy Fowler reported that Trey Hendrickson is “extremely dug in” and is prepared to miss games. Meanwhile, the Bengals don’t have their new first-round rookie pass-rusher on the field, either. While he is entirely able to practice without a signed contract, he is refusing to do so. I will be writing about this more tomorrow, but the Bengals are using him as the guinea pig for new contract stipulations, and he doesn’t care for that.
Although the Bengals made good with their wide receivers this offseason, giving Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins new deals, they have placed less priority on the defense. Even though QB Joe Burrow has repeatedly publicly supported Trey Hendrickson, it hasn’t seemed to sway the front office.
With Hendrickson no-showing to minicamp, the next milestone is obviously training camp. The Bengals have already granted Hendrickson permission to seek a trade, to little effect. But with Hendrickson taking a hardline stance, might they soften their demands in trade compensation?
The Steelers would certainly welcome a Trey Hendrickson departure from the AFC North. While he has had a quiet game or two, he has also caused them problems. But surely the Bengals were anticipating him not being at minicamp, so what are they thinking?
Is Cincinnati just counting on Hendrickson blinking and reporting once the season starts? Last year, Haason Reddick showed he was willing to miss games, but that didn’t necessarily work out to his advantage. If Hendrickson skips Bengals games, would that even change how the front office responds? It would save them money, after all, and Mike Brown would be pleased with that.
