“We’ve tried to keep it as least amount as personal as possible, but at some point in this process it’s become personal.” That’s what Trey Hendrickson said in May. It all began when head coach Zac Taylor texted Hendrickson. The text was to tell him that he would lose $50,000 each day if he skipped the required minicamp. Oops! That’s not the most affectionate way to say ‘we’ll work it out.’ Hendrickson said that message suggested the front management wasn’t really interested in closing a deal. And that passive-aggressive energy turned into a full-fledged cold war, as the Bengals are known for.

And the timing? It couldn’t be worse. With the quarterback’s mechanics being tweaked over time, it all falls on Joe Burrow. He is already putting in extra effort to push this team back to postseason relevance. He’s grinding, throwing lasers in tight windows, and staying late after practice. But while No. 9 is busy manifesting Lombardi, the franchise is nickel-and-diming its best defensive player. 

And now, according to Domonique Foxworth of ESPN, it’s not only about Hendrickson’s contract. It’s also about what that instability does to Burrow and the locker room as a whole. “I do think that they are a team that believes they’re in their Super Bowl window, that’s why they paid both their receivers, why they paid their quarterback. And their best defensive player at a premier position is not getting paid, it doesn’t seem like they’re taking this seriously,” Foxworth declared. This is the kind of off-field friction that doesn’t show up on tape but hangs in the air like a storm cloud. And Burrow sees that. As per Foxworth, “That’s not serious about winning a championship, which I think the players recognize. And especially a player like Joe Burrow.” 

And what complicates it? In March, the Bengals allowed Hendrickson to consider a trade. That is the type of passive-aggressive HR ploy that screams, ‘Go see what you’re worth, but don’t actually leave.’ It is not the kind of move made by a team looking to lock up its defensive cornerstone. The damage was done even though Hendrickson didn’t bite. When he publicly denied the team’s claim that they had been in communication since the draft, the situation deteriorated even more. He is the same player who helped the Bengals break a nine-year drought. And is now struggling to explain his own story because the team won’t even answer the phone.

And then there’s the maths issue that no one wants to discuss. Although Hendrickson is expected to earn $15.8 million this season, Cincinnati’s offer appears to be a clearance deal. Now, as Myles Garrett is the highest-paid edge rusher in the market, earning $40 million annually. What message does it convey about the Bengals’ alleged championship desperation? If a top-five edge rusher in his prime, who has done everything correctly, is still being slow-played?

Trey Hendrickson draws the line

Mike Greenberg on the Get Up podcast raised the alarms. “Defensive end Trey Hendrickson is looking to get paid in Cincinnati, and vibes there feel sort of low.” That might be the most polite way to describe it because this goes well beyond awkward text messages and tension, according to Adam Schefter. It’s stuck. Schefter said, “This is really troubling. I think because these two sides have been at this for so long, and yes, they’re talking, but they’re not making any progress. They cannot even agree on the length of the deal right now, forget about the numbers.”

Let that sink in. They’re not even fighting about money anymore—they’re stuck on the calendar. And it’s not just about long-term tension now—it’s about short-term impact. With training camp creeping up fast, Schefter dropped the reality check Bengals fans didn’t want to hear: “Trey Hendrickson’s going to have a significant decision to make…Does he show up to training camp? Does he show up – and ‘hold in’? Or does he simply bypass training camp all together the way he did with the mandatory mini camp?”

The cost of skipping minicamp is high—$50,000 in fines per day, to be precise. However, in this NFL strategy, where fines are eventually ‘reimbursed’ through contract sweeteners, even that seems more like a bluff. “Then they would just add in more money and say, ‘Here’s the money to cover the $50,000 a day,'” Schefter said with a smile. So while Burrow is perfecting tight-window throws and preaching Super Bowl standards, the other half of Cincinnati’s title hopes is deciding whether to even pack a bag for camp. Because right now, the vibes aren’t just low—they’re expensive.