Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals remain obstinate when it comes to trading away defensive end Trey Hendrickson, according to The Athletic's Ben Standig.

Standig reported Cincy is seeking to recoup at least a first-round pick for the 2024 All-Pro, and the team simply may have a "lack of interest" in a swap. Both of those factors "are the hold-ups in any deal."

Per Standig, the Washington Commanders pondered the idea of acquiring Hendrickson earlier in the offseason. However, their mindset may have changed after they gave up four draft picks to land offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil.

In terms of the Bengals' approach to the situation, Standig isn't the first NFL insider to report prospective suitors have bristled at the asking price.

Hendrickson totaled 35 sacks over the past two seasons. He's one of the NFL's elite at his position. The four-time Pro Bowler is also only one year out from free agency, and an extension will require paying him significantly more than his current $21 million salary.

For as good as he is, a first-round pick is a lot to give up for Hendrickson given his contract status.

This might all be intentional by the Bengals, who didn't acquiesce when their star pass-rusher requested a trade last offseason.

The same thing happened with wide receiver Tee Higgins, though he ultimately got a reported $115 million extension this week to remove any doubt about his long-term future. Higgins wasn't traded and suited up this past year on the franchise tag.

Higgins' new contract and the record-setting $161 million payout to fellow wideout Ja'Marr Chase seemingly lower the odds Hendrickson will get a massive raise of his own. The salary cap starts to become a serious concern.

But it appears Cincinnati is happy to let him play out the 2025 season and go from there.

The Cincinnati Bengals could still retain star defensive end Trey Hendrickson after agreeing to long-term contract extensions with wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

According to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, the "arrow is pointed toward Hendrickson returning to Cincinnati" after the Bengals didn't address their pass rush in free agency.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini also reported that Cincinnati is "working to retain" Hendrickson and extension negotiations are "ongoing."

The 30-year-old has one season left on his current contract before he's slated to hit free agency in 2026, but Cincinnati previously granted him permission to seek a trade after both sides couldn't agree on a long-term extension.

Dehner reported that the trade request allowed the two parties to become "100 percent aware of his market and trade value" before returning to the negotiating table. Any possible swap without a pass-rusher returning to Cincinnati is also a "non-starter," which narrows the list of potential suitors for Hendrickson.

The Bengals extended both Chase and Higgins on Sunday night, per Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz. Chase received a four-year, $161 million contract while Higgins signed a four-year deal worth $115 million.

Now, Cincinnati appears to be turning its attention towards Hendrickson.

The four-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher is coming off a dominant 2024 campaign in which he led the NFL with 17.5 sacks. He also finished with 54 pressures, 36 quarterback hits, 19 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.

Dehner Jr. reported that Hendrickson has made it "abundantly clear" that he wants to stay in Cincinnati despite the ongoing trade saga, but there’s also "no doubt his camp would be extremely unhappy" about playing out the final year of his deal without an extension or trade.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Hendrickson is seeking a new extension that contains a value of "well above" $30 million per year.

After the Bengals agreed to extensions with their two standout receivers, Hendrickson may be next in line.

The Tee Higgins franchise tag saga is finally behind us.

The Cincinnati Bengals, after using the franchise tag on Higgins for the second straight offseason, finally came to terms on a long-term extension with the veteran wideout. According to Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz, the deal is for four years and $115 million, with the first two years guaranteed.

But that's not all, as Schultz added that star receiver Ja'Marr Chase also earned a massive contract with the Bengals for $161 million over four years with $112 million in guarantees, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

Schultz added that Higgins' deal could be worth $30 million annually with incentives, which would make him a top-five-paid receiver in the NFL. Chase's extension keeps him under contract for the next five years at $182.8 million. Higgins is now signed through 2028, while Chase joins star quarterback Joe Burrow in being signed to Cincinnati through 2029.

Those figures are being added to a Bengals salary cap that currently stands at $273.5 million, per Spotrac. Chase, Higgins and Burrow will now combine for over $120 million per year by themselves:

While this always felt like the ultimate outcome after the team said it was working "toward a long-term deal" for Higgins in early March—and after Burrow made it abundantly clear that he wanted his playmakers back—the Bengals still entered the offseason with a lot of financial housekeeping to sort through.

Namely, Higgins and tight end Mike Gesicki were free agents, while Chase and defensive end Trey Hendrickson were in line for lucrative extensions.

Burrow said he was willing to restructure to make sure everybody was willing to get paid during an appearance on FS1's Breakfast Ball in early February, adding he had faith in Cincy's ownership and front office to get it done.

"We have the cap space to get it done," he said. "I want to make it happen. Everybody involved Trey, Tee, Ja'Marr, Mike G, we all want to stay together. When you have guys that are motivated like that I think you can get those things done."

The Bengals heard him loud and clear, keeping the band together for the foreseeable future. Gesicki also re-signed with the team on a three-year, $25.5 million deal last week.

Rewarding Chase was always an inevitability after his incredible start to his career. The 25-year-old has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his four years in the NFL, and he's coming off a dominant 2024 campaign in which he won the receiving triple crown by leading the league with 127 catches, 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. He earned first-team All-Pro honors for the first time, proving to Cincinnati that he is worthy of a historic payday that resets the booming wide receiver market.

From a football perspective, keeping Higgins always made sense. The 26-year-old has reached 900 or more receiving yards in four of his five NFL seasons, 1,000 yards twice and hit double-digit touchdowns (10) in 2024 for the first time in his career. While Chase is the unquestioned top dog in the passing game, Higgins is able to make teams pay for focusing too much attention on his running mate.

Still, it was unclear how many resources the Bengals would devote to the wide receiver position, with other needs around the roster. The answer, it turns out, is quite a lot.

These deals now raise questions about Cincinnati's chances to improve in other areas. The team already conceded that it won't be able to keep Hendrickson happy, as he announced earlier this month that he received permission to seek a trade. Losing him would create a hole on a defense that already suffered from a lack of talent in 2024.

For now, the Bengals will be satisfied that they were able to keep Chase and Higgins in the fold with Sunday's eye-popping extensions.

The Cincinnati Bengals and defensive end Trey Hendrickson have continued to "quietly" negotiate a new contract, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler reported Sunday on SportsCenter the Bengals are "trying to find a sweet spot," but the situation is complicated by their pursuit of long-term deals with wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Fowler added more insight into the trade talks, including a potential trade with the Indianapolis Colts:

"This one's complicated because Hendrickson does want a new contract well above $30 million per year. The Bengals have tried to sign him, they made him a contract offer. And I'm even told despite trade talks, they've had some reignited discussions with Hendrickson's people over the last few days, but it still hasn't gotten anywhere. It looks like the Bengals' priorities are those two receivers and that makes it tough for Hendrickson. So, he's certainly open to a trade at this point. I'm hearing the Bengals have not been overly eager to accept those trade calls and they've gotten them to look into it and really seriously entertain a trade here. It seems like they still want to try to find a way to keep him, but the question is do they have the cash to do it? One team I'm watching for is the Indianapolis Colts because there are just a lot of ties to Hendrickson. They need a pass rusher. His former coach at Florida Atlantic, Charlie Partridge, is the D-Line coach in Indy. His former defensive coordinator in Cincinnati, Lou Anarumo, is also in Indianapolis."

Per Fowler and colleague Adam Schefter, the total value for Chase and Higgins could hit $70 million or more annually. That would make it "really tough" to pay Hendrickson like one of the NFL's best pass-rushers.

The 2024 All-Pro is eligible to become a free agent in 2026 and his $15.8 million base salary for next year is a massive bargain. He has registered 57 sacks across four seasons with Cincinnati, and Spotrac pegs his market value at $31.5 million.

Understandably, Hendrickson would prefer to get his raise now rather than waiting until next spring.

The Bengals have given the 30-year-old and his representatives permission to explore his outside options, though they ultimately hold all of the cards in terms of whether a trade actually happens. Cincy has reportedly demanded a steep price in any swap.

Were Chase and Higgins to finalize their extensions, that would seemingly seal Hendrickson's fate one way or the other.

As Fowler said, it's hard to envision a scenario in which the Bengals would be paying Chase, Higgins, Hendrickson and quarterback Joe Burrow all top dollar and have enough left over to assemble a roster capable of winning a Super Bowl.

It increasingly looks like Cincinnati's options with Hendrickson will be either letting him play out his contract and leave as a free agent or trading him this offseason.

The Cincinnati Bengals are "close to deals" with wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins for a combined outlay of $70-plus million per year, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler reported Sunday on SportsCenter that teams around the NFL believe Chase could hit $41 million annually, which would move him past Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett as the highest-paid non-quarterback.

Higgins, meanwhile, "will probably come in somewhere just under $30 million," per Fowler.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Friday the Bengals "made significant progress" with Chase and Higgins, which was music to the ears of fans in Cincinnati.

Once the team applied the franchise tag to Higgins, many likely assumed that was the extent of the Bengals' negotiations. With the exception of quarterback Joe Burrow, they've played hardball with a lot of their best players and in some cases watched them leave for nothing in free agency.

Cincinnati's approach with Higgins and ownership's longstanding reputation for frugality weren't exactly reassuring when it came to Chase's future, either.

Re-signing Burrow to what was then a record-setting $275 million contract showed how the Bengals might be adapting to the times and loosening the purse strings, though. Retaining both Chase and Higgins would be an even stronger signal of intent from the franchise.

Cincinnati would be committing more money to the receiver position than any other team. The Miami Dolphins are spending just under $66.4 million for their receivers, and the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams are the only other two surpassing $60 million.

Paying Chase and Higgins their full market value would limit what the Bengals can spend elsewhere. Fowler cited edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson in particular said it will be "really tough" to give he, Chase and Higgins all new multiyear contracts.

But a lot of fans would probably like to see a spend first, ask questions later strategy deployed by the front office.

The Cincinnati Bengals have made "significant progress" on contract extensions for wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Adam Schefter of ESPN added that Chase's new deal is expected to average "somewhere in the range of $40.1 million to $41 million per year," which would make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league.

The Bengals previously picked up the fifth-year option on Chase's rookie contract, keeping him with the team through 2025.

Cincinnati also franchise-tagged Higgins for a second straight year, although the Bengals and Higgins have until July 15 to agree upon a long-term contract that would wipe away that one-year pact.

It would obviously behoove the Bengals to bring both players back long-term.

Chase just enjoyed one of the best wide receiver seasons in recent memory, catching 127 passes for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. He became the sixth wide receiver in league history to pace the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in a single season.

Higgins was exceptional in his own right, catching 73 passes for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing two games with a hamstring injury and three more due to a quad ailment.

Those two plus quarterback Joe Burrow piloted an offense that finished sixth in the NFL in scoring with 27.8 points per game. That trio formed the strength of a team that struggled on defense (e.g. 25th in points allowed) and special teams (e.g. Evan McPherson getting benched after going 16-of-22 in field goals).

Cincinnati's Super Bowl window could have easily taken a death blow without the Burrow-Chase-Higgins trio reuniting long-term. Now, with NFL Network reporting that the contracts could be done in the "coming days," there should be zero distractions hanging over the team's head going into the offseason program.

Better yet, two amazing talents should be back in the mix as the Bengals look to make the playoffs once again after falling short by one game last year.

Trey Hendrickson holds no ill will toward the Cincinnati Bengals as he continues to pursue a trade amid a contract stalemate between the two sides.

Speaking to Olivia Ray of WLWT in Cincinnati, Hendrickson said there's no frustration because this situation "gives me an opportunity to prove my worth" and it's "been a heck of a ride" with the Bengals over the past four seasons.

Hendrickson said in a statement to ESPN's Adam Schefter the Bengals have granted him permission to seek a trade. He originally came to Cincinnati on a four-year, $60 million free-agent contract in March 2021.

The Bengals gave Hendrickson a one-year extension in July 2023 that runs through the 2025 season. He hasn't been happy with his contract since last offseason, reportedly even threatening to retire if no agreement could be reached.

Even though nothing came of that threat, the Bengals have opened the door now to letting Hendrickson see what's out there. It would also benefit them to potentially trade him for a huge haul given how much money they could have invested in their offense.

Joe Burrow has made no secret of his desire for the Bengals to keep both Tee Higgins, who received the franchise tag for the second consecutive year, and Ja'Marr Chase.

Higgins' situation is the more pressing of the two since he would seem very unhappy to be on the tag again. Chase still has another year remaining on his rookie deal after failing to get a long-term deal done last offseason due to the structure proposed by the team.

Hendrickson is also probably looking at Maxx Crosby's record-setting extension from the Las Vegas Raiders as a golden opportunity for himself to cash in. Even though he likely wouldn't receive the same type of deal by virtue of being three years older than Crosby, the market for premiere pass-rushers is always very high.

While there's always a chance Hendrickson could end up staying in Cincinnati, trading him could present the team with an opportunity to replenish its draft capital to add young, cost-controlled talent on a defense that needs a lot of help.

For Hendrickson, given his age, this will likely be his last chance to get one more significant long-term contract coming off the best season of his career. He led the NFL with 17.5 sacks and tied for second with 19 tackles for loss.

As the Cincinnati Bengals continue to work on getting long-term deals done with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, they were able to work out a new contract with Mike Gesicki before the start of free agency.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Gesicki has agreed to a three-year deal to remain in Cincinnati.

ESPN's Adam Schefter added Gesicki will earn $25.5 million on his new contract.

Gesicki was one of the better free-agent bargains in the NFL last season. He signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with Cincinnati.

Playing in the Bengals' high-powered offense brought out arguably the best version of Gesicki in the NFL. He finished 2024 with 65 receptions for 665 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games.

Even though Gesicki is listed as a tight end, he might as well be a glorified wide receiver. His history when teams ask him to line up in line and run block is not good at all.

Gesicki ran the second-most slot routes of any tight end in the NFL last season, trailing only the 261 by Las Vegas Raiders star Brock Bowers.

It's not necessarily great news for the Bengals running game, but they tied for the second-fewest rushing attempts (380) in the NFL last season anyway. They seem pretty content with building an offense around one of the most explosive passing games in the league.

Another issue is defense, which also seems to be something the Bengals aren't that interested in. They've given Trey Hendrickson permission to seek a trade as he tries to obtain a new contract.

Rapoport said he expects Hendrickson will get dealt, while adding the Bengals have made "some level of progress" in talks with both Chase and Higgins on long-term contracts.

Chase and Higgins are far more important to the success of Cincinnati's offense than Gesicki, but Gesicki became the first Bengals tight end with at least 500 yards in a season since Joe Burrow entered the league in 2020.

It's also not a huge sum that the Bengals are paying Gesicki to keep him in the building. His $8.5 million annual salary on this new deal is tied with Tyler Higbee of the Los Angeles Rams for 14th-most among all tight ends.

The Washington Commanders have interest in Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who was granted permission to seek a trade after failed contract negotiations, according to Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz.

The 30-year-old Hendrickson has amassed 17.5 sacks each of the past two seasons, with his total leading the league in 2024. He's notched Pro Bowl honors each of the past four seasons and earned a first-team All-Pro selection in 2024.

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It's no surprise that the Commanders are interested. Washington just tripled its win total from four to 12 and made its first NFC Championship Game since 1991 in year one of the Jayden Daniels era. Simply put, the Commanders need to strike and invest in the team while Daniels is still on a cap-friendly rookie contract.

Washington vastly improved from 2023 to 2024 on defense (32nd in scoring to 16th) but still has room to grow, as evidenced by a 55-23 loss in the NFC title game to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The Commanders also have some cap space to burn. The team is fifth in the league with $64.3 million in available room, per Over the Cap, so there's plenty of space to work with if the team wants to add Hendrickson to the roster.

However, it appears Washington will have competition, with the Atlanta Falcons being in the mix, per Schultz.

Atlanta arguably has a bigger need for Hendrickson after suffering its seventh straight losing season and finishing 23rd in scoring defense. In addition, no Falcon player had more than six sacks last season, so Atlanta sorely needs a top pass-rusher in the mix.

For now, Hendrickson remains a Bengal, with one season left on a four-year, $60 million deal. He has a $18.7 million cap number for 2025, per Over the Cap.

At this juncture, one can surmise that Hendrickson may have played his last down in Cincinnati. Blue-chip pass-rushers are invaluable, and teams already have interest.

The Cincinnati Bengals reportedly are not loosening their grip on star receiver Tee Higgins anytime soon.

Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, "multiple teams" contacted the Bengals after they placed the franchise tag on Higgins to gauge his availability for a trade, but those teams have been "told the receiver remains unavailable as the Bengals continue to pursue a long-term deal."

This marks the second straight year that the Bengals placed their franchise tag on Higgins, but they announced that they did so "with the intent of continuing to work toward a long-term deal in Cincinnati" for the 26-year-old. If the two sides are unable to reach an agreement by the July 15 deadline, the franchise tender would pay Higgins $26.2 million for the 2025 season.

Despite being limited to 12 games in 2024, Higgins still had a strong year with 73 catches for 911 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns. While he's been an integral part of the passing attack led by star quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals have a lot to address this offseason.

In addition to negotiating a long-term deal for Higgins, Cincinnati is hoping to secure contract extensions for wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase and defensive end Trey Hendrickson, both of whom are entering the final year of their respective deals. Bengals general manager Duke Tobin said last week at the NFL Scouting Combine that Chase is "always going to be our priority," and there's an expectation that he's "going to end up being the No. 1 paid non-quarterback in the league."

It's unclear where that would leave Higgins, who has proved that he's worthy if a big payday as well. It won't be easy, but it sounds like Cincinnati is motivated to keep its core intact, so teams looking to trade for Higgins will need to pivot to other options.