One among Cincinnati’s greatest gamers is headed out the door.
Defensive finish Trey Hendrickson has been granted permission to hunt a commerce out of Cincinnati, after negotiations on an extension have fallen aside.
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The primary domino within the Queen Metropolis has probably fallen.
The Bengals have been one of the fascinating groups to observe this offseason, with reference to how they have been to deal with a possible Hendrickson extensions, together with new offers for star vast receivers, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase.
The Bengals tagged Higgins earlier this week in hopes to get a long-term deal executed.
And the Chase negotiations are removed from a decision at this level.
Now it is clear as to what they’ll do with their greatest defensive participant.
Commerce him away.
Hendrickson had one 12 months remaining on his contract and was due for an enormous pay increase after main the league in sacks with 17.5, and ending second within the Related Press Defensive Participant of the Yr voting.
He was named a first-team All-Professional.
The star pass-rusher additionally completed second within the league in sacks in 2023 with one other 17.5.
Since arriving as a free agent in Cincinnati earlier than the 2021 season, he had been a Professional Bowl choice yearly, amassing 57 sacks in these 4 years.
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That is good for a median of slightly over 14 sacks per season.
Manufacturing that is not simply changed.
A protection that ranked close to the underside in each class final season, that in the end was the rationale the 9-8 Bengals missed the playoffs, is now going to be with out its greatest participant on that aspect of the ball.
The Bengals do not need to get right into a behavior of losing Joe Burrow’s prime years.
Simply final week on the scouting mix in Indianapolis, Duke Tobin, director of participant personnel and de facto basic supervisor, spoke on wanting to increase Hendrickson and preserving him within the Queen Metropolis.
“Our desire with Trey is to have him on our soccer workforce as a result of we would like him,” Tobin stated.
“So I by no means actually talked about open preferences for buying and selling guys, as a result of all that does is tackle a lifetime of its personal.
“And that’s not one thing I need to do, as a result of I would like Trey on our soccer workforce. He’s beneath contract.
“We’re trying to pay him for what we consider can be actually good future years and we see him as not falling off in his profession.
“That’s why we’re actively making an attempt, and if we get to the purpose the place we’re actively making an attempt to commerce him, possibly I’ll provide you with a name.”
Hendrickson himself had gone on the document to say that he most popular and to stay a Bengal.
That ship has sailed.
And whereas Tobin appeared honest, it is clear that it was at all times going to be an uphill battle to carry again Hendrickson, Higgins and Chase all on new offers that topped the market, or that have been within the neighborhood of the highest.
This led to followers feeling like they have been led astray within the messaging popping out of the Cincinnati entrance workplace.
“Full failure,” one fan stated on X.
“They’d a plan. They expressed the plan to increase all three this offseason and have failed to take action. It actually places a giant dent of their messaging this offseason.”
“Ahh, so it seems the Bengals are nonetheless the Bengals in any case,” one other fan commented.
“The franchise doesn’t know find out how to function in a contemporary context. The higher echelons of the Brown household are unable to totally change,” yet one more chimed in.
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The followers aren’t pleased, that a lot is evident.
If there was ever a saving grace for the Bengals entrance workplace to drag out of their hat, it is to announce the contract extensions of Higgins and Chase instantly.
And even then, that may not be sufficient.
The harm could already be executed for a fanbase that has been hardened and stiffened by an inexpensive proprietor, time and time once more,
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