The Cincinnati Bengals are stuck in a tough spot. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson wants a new deal, but the team hasn’t budged. And to make matters worse, rookie Shemar Stewart still hasn’t signed his first NFL contract.
Enter the Green Bay Packers.
In a recent article, Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder floated a proposal that could help both franchises solve problems at once: the Bengals should trade Hendrickson, and the Packers should be the ones to take him.
“The Hendrickson contract saga has been going on for a while, and a resolution doesn’t appear to be in sight,” Holder wrote. “Meanwhile, the Bengals used a first-round pick on Shemar Stewart, who is also engaged in a contract dispute with the club.”
Holder points out that Cincinnati has a bit of a logjam at defensive end already, with Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy in the mix. So if the Bengals aren’t willing to meet Hendrickson’s price, they might as well move him and get some value in return.
On Green Bay’s side, it could be a smart win-now move. They’ve got cap space—$35.5 million in 2025 according to Over The Cap—and a pressing need for an elite edge rusher.
“It all depends on Hendrickson’s asking price,” Holder added. “But if the Packers make the money work, their Super Bowl odds would take a serious bump by adding the league’s sack leader from last season.”
Trey Hendrickson in for the long haul, Bengals may not be on the same page
From Trey Hendrickson’s side, the message is clear: he wants to stay, and he wants a long-term commitment. But the Bengals haven’t matched that energy. At 30 years old, the team may be wary of paying him like a cornerstone piece moving forward.
Gary Davenport, also from Bleacher Report, estimates a possible three-year, $103.5 million extension if the Bengals do end up negotiating.
“If Cincinnati’s serious about making a playoff run, they’ve got to lock in Hendrickson,” Davenport noted. “But week by week, that seems less and less likely.”
With OTAs closing in, the Bengals are running out of time to make a call. Whether they cave to Hendrickson’s demands or find a trade partner like Green Bay, something’s got to give—before this turns into a full-blown distraction heading into the season.
