Once again, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is using the bully pulpit to convince the team to sign his teammates.
In February, Burrow said he would revise his contract to create more cap space for the Bengals to help them re-sign wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Cincinnati then signed Chase (four years, $161M) and Higgins (four years, $115M) to extensions in March.
Now, the two-time Pro Bowl QB is advocating for EDGE Trey Hendrickson, entering his last year of contract, to receive his payday.
“You guys know how I feel about Trey,” Burrow told the media Tuesday. “He’s a guy that deserves to get paid and get paid what he wants and what the market is.”
Hendrickson led the league in sacks (17.5 in 17 games) in 2024, earning a first-team All-Pro nod. But for some reason, the Bengals haven’t been proactive in contract negotiations with the 30-year-old pass-rusher.
On May 12, he released a statement to ESPN’s Adam Schefter saying he and the Bengals haven’t discussed a new deal since the NFL Draft in April. On May 13, he reported to the team’s offseason program but didn’t practice. He said he wouldn’t play without a new deal via The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr.
Burrow hasn’t regularly contacted Hendrickson during his negotiation process but understands why he’s holding out.
“I think he thinks he’s doing what is best for his career, and I support him in that,” the QB said.
Burrow knows the Bengals can’t afford to lose Hendrickson, especially when they probably don’t have a viable replacement on the roster. The Bengals took Texas A&M EDGE Shemar Stewart with pick No. 17 in the draft. However, he had just 4.5 sacks in four seasons with the Aggies. He still hasn’t signed his rookie contract, either.
While the Bengals haven’t signed Hendrickson yet, perhaps they’ll reach an agreement soon. The franchise QB’s words carry weight in Cincinnati.
