The Bengals are facing more heat than an overcooked steak. What started as simple negotiations after the last season ended has escalated into a world of criticism. The likes of which threaten to tear apart the Cincinnati fandom. At the center of it all? An obviously disgruntled Trey Hendrickson, who’s coming off of one of the best 2024 seasons for a DE. But now, after months of watching everything unfold, QB Joe Burrow has spoken up.

Trey Hendrickson is entering the final year of his rookie contract with a base salary of $15.8 million. But last season’s numbers clearly warrant a raise for the 30-year-old DE, and looking at the current NFL market, it hovers somewhere north of $30 million. He’s got 33 solo tackles (46 if you count combined tackles) and a standout league-leading 17.5 sacks. But the cracks between Hendrickson and the Bengals didn’t start last season.

As per reports, Hendrickson had requested a trade last offseason when the team refused to give him a new deal. He still showed up for the OTAs and played last season, gathering numbers to make his case stronger. In March this year, the Bengals even permitted him to seek a trade, but he’s still set on being with the Bengals. That’s again if they give him a raise. And if the Cincinnati Bengals’ 9-8 record for the second consecutive year and another missed playoffs due to a weak defense are anything to go by, then they need the defensive end on their side, and that is one fact that has not gone unnoticed by Joe Burrow.

In a presser this Tuesday, Joe Burrow praised Hendrickson and said, “You guys all know how I feel about Trey. He’s a great player; I love Trey as a guy. He goes out and plays well every single Sunday. He’s very productive. He’s a guy that deserves to get paid and get paid what he wants and what the market is. We’ll see what happens with that. But I love Trey and hope he’s with us.” So, it looks like Joe Burrow is all for Trey Hendrickson getting a raise. And a raise can’t really be out of the question, especially since the Bengals have already signed extensions with Ja’Marr Chase (four-year, $161 million deal) and Tee Higgins (four-year, $115 million contract) for the long term.

Just like last season, Trey Hendrickson showed up for the OTAs this year. But this time, he wasn’t geared up. He was in street clothes, like casually taking a walk in the park. When he said last week that he won’t be playing this year if the contract issue is not addressed, it looks like he meant it. But is the Bengals front office ready to let a player go who’s clearly coming off the best season of his NFL career?

Trey Hendrickson vs. the Bengals

Last week, Trey Hendrickson spoke to the press and made his disappointment known. He said, “The offers prior to the draft did not reflect the vision we shared and were promised last offseason if I continued to play at a high level. Coaches are aware of these past conversations. Rather than using collaboration to get us to a point to bring me home to the team, THEY are no longer communicating.” As Hendrickson awaits a “resolution of this situation,” he’s made it crystal clear that he’s not playing unless he gets a deal. Hendrickson has also exchanged words with HC Zac Taylor regarding this.

 As Hendrickson put it, “We’ve tried to keep it the least amount personal as possible. But at some point in this process, it becomes personal. Being sent 30 days before mandatory camp, or however many days it is that if I don’t show up, I will be fined…” As per Hendrickson, Taylor had sent a text to him saying that if he doesn’t show up for the mandatory training camp, he will be fined.

On Tuesday, speaking in a presser, HC Taylor had also clarified his stance. “I put a lot of time into thinking – those situations, there’s real money at stake – So I put a lot of time and energy into thinking about how to communicate, when to communicate. And so, that’s just how I handled that one. And, yeah, Trey and I have spoken.”

HC Taylor didn’t disclose anything about the conversation he had with Trey, saying, “I think every situation is unique. Every personality is different, every player is different. The timing of everything is different. So, you just adapt as you go with that stuff.” What this means for Trey Hendrickson’s future with the Bengals still remains to be seen. But notably, Joe Burrow had also supported Tee Higgins in landing a contract extension. Will this time be the same with Burrow supporting Hendrickson? We’ll find out soon enough.