Hendrickson did not participate in the voluntary portion of the offseason workout program preceding the team’s three-day mandatory minicamp, but he did watch one practice May 13 – after which he spoke to local media for 25 minutes about his disappointment in how the Bengals have handled his contract situation.
The interest in speaking to media at that time had been sparked by a text message Hendrickson said he received from coach Zac Taylor, informing him almost a month ahead of time, that he would be fined if he didn’t show up for minicamp.
“Being sent 30 days before mandatory camp, or how many ever days it is, that if I don’t show up I will be fined alludes to the fact that something won’t get done in that time frame,” Hendrickson said on May 13. “The lack of communication post-draft made it imminently clear to my party –meaning my wife, my son and my agent, a small group of people – that I had inform that this might not work out. I don’t think it was necessary. I think we should have all hoped for the best until proven otherwise. Other things have transpired like the importance of me being here in OTAs doesn’t seem to be respected.”
Hendrickson initially ducked a question about his willingness to play this season on his current contract, but when pressed a second time, he gave a clear “no.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The 30-year-old pass rusher is in the final season of his contract, which he extended in 2023. He asked for a new deal again last year but said the Bengals wanted to push those discussions to this offseason.
Cincinnati gave Hendrickson permission to seek a trade early in the offseason, and Hendrickson said he valued the opportunity to find out his worth to other teams. He has also seen how other great pass rushers have been “respected” with new deals and believes he has proven himself worthy just the same.
Hendrickson finished with 17.5 sacks for a second straight season and led the league with that total in 2024. He did not share when the last time his party and the Bengals talked numbers.
“It’s one of those things where we’re not seeing eye-to-eye on the structure,” Hendrickson said. “It seems that a shorter deal is something they are pushing pretty hard. That puts us in the same place I was in 2022, where I have to re-negotiate the next year because if goals are the same and playing at a better level than I did last year, then next year we’re just kicking the can down the road, so it’s something where I think both parties should understand that a long-term contract with guarantees that know that I can continue to play at the level that I have been is a mutual respect, where that’s where my values lies and it also allows me to stop having to negotiate every offseason about something that has been almost four years of doing.”
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