NFL rumors: Trey Hendrickson’s free agency value amid hefty $30 million contract demands

Reports indicate that former Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson is demanding a contract that pays him about $30 million annually. However, the latest buzz in the rumor mill suggests that potentially interested teams in free agency are not valuing him at that price.

It sounds like teams are valuing the 31-year-old defensive lineman closer to $20 million per year, which is about $10 million less than what Hendrickson is asking for, according to Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS. It’s unclear which teams are possibly involved in the rumors right now.

“As of this morning, there were teams I spoke with who said the gap between what [Hendrickson] wanted and what they were willing to pay was close to $10M per year.”

Hendrickson was in a contract tiff with the Bengals last offseason, as he was seeking a huge long-term deal with the club. He eventually agreed to sign a one-year deal worth $30 million to resolve his holdout. Unfortunately, the 2025-26 campaign didn’t go according to plan, as Trey Hendrickson only played seven games due to a hip/pelvis injury that required him to undergo core muscle surgery.

The four-time Pro Bowler ended last season with 16 combined tackles (11 solo), four sacks, and one forced fumble. Due to the lack of production, injury, and his age, NFL teams seem to be less inclined to pay him what he’s demanding in free agency. Hendrickson should still get a big payday, but maybe not as big as he was hoping for.

He’s been solid throughout most of his nine years in the league. After serving as a backup for three seasons with the New Orleans Saints, Hendrickson took over as a starter in 2020 and never looked back. Through his six years as a starter, Hendrickson has recorded double-digit sacks four times.

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