Bengals trading Trey Hendrickson idea could be 'far more valuable' to Cincinnati than alternative

Billy Heyen

Bengals trading Trey Hendrickson idea could be 'far more valuable' to Cincinnati than alternative image

The Cincinnati Bengals at least have Trey Hendrickson with the team now and not hanging out in Florida.

But the defensive end isn't practicing, isn't playing and doesn't plan to do either unless he gets a new contract.

Hendrickson has reiterated time and again that he's not going to take the field this season for his current $16 million salary.

But the negotiations with Cincinnati have been reported to be far apart, particularly in the realm of guaranteed money.

What if the only solution is to trade Hendrickson to a team that will actually give him the contract he wants?

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The Bengals clearly wouldn't want to lose a guy with 17.5 sacks each of the past two years, but it's the direction they're heading in.

And Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox broke this down in detail Thursday, dropping one line that summarizes the whole situation:

"At this point, a reasonable offer would be far more valuable to the Bengals than a star who won't play on his current contract."

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He's right. The Bengals apparently are asking for a lot in trades, but they can't afford to not deal Hendrickson and have him not take the field this season.

If Hendrickson plays, he boosts a Cincinnati defense that is otherwise weak without him. He gives the Bengals a chance to chase a Super Bowl.

But if the choices are an extended holdout or getting some return value for him, the Bengals ought to think about it.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle