Something’s been off in Cincinnati for a while now. No, it’s not the ‘Skyline Chili’. Maybe that, too, but we are talking about Trey Hendrickson. The Bengals‘ star hasn’t exactly been shy about his frustrations. It all started in April, when he broke character and went public with his disappointment. “I’m not going to apologize,” he said, pointing to the booming market for pass rushers.

“I’ve been basically asking for the same thing every year—to be solidified as a Cincinnati Bengal for life.” Basically, asking the front office to stop dancing around and start talking seriously. Just like they did for their WR duo. Ja’Marr Chase signed a four-year, $161 million contract with the Bengals, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, with $112 million guaranteed. Tee Higgins also signed a four-year, $115 million contract, making him the highest-paid WR2 in NFL history. This is what has added to the growing pains for Trey.

Fast-forward to May, and nothing’s changed… Except Hendrickson’s patience. The Bengals let him explore trade options earlier in the offseason, and now, with OTA season looming, they still haven’t re-engaged. As Tom Pelissero reported Monday, “No breakthrough in negotiations.” After which, a cold, hard truth bomb, straight from Hendrickson, followed. He told reporters after practice, flat out, “No,” when asked if he’d play without a new deal.

He didn’t stop there. “It’s become personal, unfortunately,” he said. “If I sat here with four sacks, they’d want a pay cut and some money back.” It’s hard to argue when the numbers are this lopsided—35 sacks over the last two years. The rest of the Bengals’ D-line? Not even close. Hendrickson isn’t asking to be paid like a superstar—he is one.

The Bengals reportedly still feel there’s a “positive direction” to all this, according to The Athletic. But if that’s the case, they haven’t picked up the phone. Hendrickson’s done being polite. Now, he’s made it clear: no deal, no football. And with Sam Hubbard gone and Cincinnati eyeing another playoff run, the silence is starting to cost more than just cap space.

Replacing Trey Hendrickson could be costlier

Replacing Trey Hendrickson isn’t just about finding another guy to chase quarterbacks. It’s about what happens when that guy isn’t there. The Bengals gave up 30+ points four times last season. That tied the Chiefs’ ugly record for most such losses in a single year. And yes, that still happened with Hendrickson doing what he does best: like casually leading the NFL with 17.5 sacks. You take that away, and you’re not just pulling a brick from the wall. You’re cracking the whole foundation.

Even Zac Taylor tried to soften the blow after a 44-38 loss to the Steelers. “You’ve just got to find ways to get stops. That starts with tackling,” he said. Sure, tackling helps. So does having the best edge rusher on the field. Hendrickson wasn’t the problem. He was the reason things didn’t look worse. You can’t patch that with good vibes and second-down optimism.

Now, the thing about paying him up. Like, he deserves to get paid. Cincy ain’t doing that… At least, not right now. But they allowed him to look for trade options. Funnily enough, even that didn’t pan out well. Back in March, teams were laughing off their asking price. “Ridiculous,” one GM told Dianna Russini. Which means Cincy’s stuck in this weird limbo: unwilling to pay Hendrickson his worth, yet demanding the moon to let him go. You see the mess, right?

Let’s also talk numbers. Hendrickson’s making $15.8 million. Myles Garrett? Over $40 million. Even if you go bargain hunting, elite edge rushers now cost $ 20 M+ annually. That’s the going rate. The Bengals did draft Shemar Stewart in the first round—maybe a future fix—but banking on a rookie to match Hendrickson’s production? That’s not a strategy. That’s a Hail Mary.

Bottom line: without Hendrickson, Cincinnati’s pass rush goes from elite to invisible. And if they trade him? They’ll not only lose their best disruptor—they’ll likely pay more trying to replace what they already had.