Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson has reportedly made a decision about whether or not he will hold out during training camp.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Hendrickson will not be reporting to training camp as he continues to seek a new contract. Schefter adds that the biggest issue between the two sides is guaranteed money.
"This is an issue revolving around guaranteed money; the Bengals have been willing to offer only one year of it while other top pass rushers — Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett, TJ Watt — have gotten three," Schefter reported.
The decision from Hendrickson comes one day after both owner Mike Brown and director of player personnel Duke Tobin expressed optimism in the situation.
"It's been a long negotiation. Trey Hendrickson is a fine player. He's a good guy. We want him here," Brown said, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer's Kelsey Conway. "Dealing with him is sometimes not so easy, and that's all right. He's got the right to argue his case. We'll try to make sense of it from our perspective. We'll see. I'm not persuaded that it isn't going to get done. As far as I'm concerned, the sooner the better."
“He’s an important part of our team... He's a guy who has been very valuable. He has earned a raise and extension. We'll see if we can come together on something,” Tobin said, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Hendrickson also held out of the Bengals' mandatory minicamp and has made it quite clear he doesn't intend on playing for Cincinnati until he gets the pay raise he deserves.
Hendrickson has more sacks than any edge rusher the past two seasons with 35, and his 17.5 sacks in 2024 led the NFL.
According to Over the Cap, Hendrickson is set to make $21 million this year, which ranks 11th among edge rushers. If he's paid what he's worth, Hendrickson should make somewhere in the vicinity of $35 million annually.
It remains to be seen if the Bengals will offer him that much, though. Past reports suggested the Bengals were offering Hendrickson a deal worth about $28 million annually, although it isn't clear if the team has upped its offer since.