It has been a tumultuous season for superstar edge rusher Trey Hendrickson after his preseason contract dispute leaked all the way into training camp. Since inking the new deal, Hendrickson has only been healthy enough to appear in seven of the team’s 13 games this season.
The edge rusher who led the league in sacks last season now appears to be seriously considering throwing in the towel on the remaining four games to undergo season-ending surgery.
“#Bengals star DE Trey Hendrickson is set to visit Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia’s Vincera Institute as he weighs likely core muscle surgery, per me and @TomPelissero,” NFL insider Ian Rapaport wrote in a post on X. “Surgery would knock Hendrickson, battling what is called a hip injury, out for the season.”
Surgery would knock Hendrickson, battling what is called a hip injury, out for the season.
Adam Schefter’s Report
While Rapaport’s report made Hendrickson’s decision seem more up in the air, ESPN’s Adam Schefter seems convinced that the star has made up his mind.
“Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson is set to undergo core muscle surgery this week that is expected to sideline him approximately six weeks, per sources,” Schefter wrote on ESPN.com.
It seems the NFL’s lead insider, Adam Schefter, has sources confirming that Hendrickson has already made up his mind.
Schefter went on to detail the circumstances that led Hendrickson to this decision.
“Hendrickson initially suffered the injury during week 6 against Green Bay, and pushed to play two weeks later against the Jets,” Schefter continued. “This injury has not improved with advised rest and team rehab, and now will need to be addressed.”
Will This Impact Hendrickson’s Relationship With The Team
This offseason was an ugly one for Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals.
The contract dispute turned ugly as the NFL’s reigning sack king demanded he be paid what he felt he deserved after back-to-back 17+ sack seasons.
At one point, Hendrickson requested a trade while the team continued to attempt a franchise tag extension for the edge rusher who has reached the end of his four-year contract with Cincy.
Ultimately, the two sides could not reach a long-term agreement and ended up signing a one-year extension that granted Hendrickson a whopping 14 million dollar raise that very nearly doubled his salary from the year before.
If Hendrickson does undergo this surgery, and he finishes his one-year, $30 million deal having played just seven games, it is interesting to consider how this might affect the Bengals’ willingness to sign the 31-year-old again.
Certainly, NFL franchises understand that injuries happen and cannot be avoided in their business. But there will be a conversation about whether or not the juice is worth the squeeze for the aging edge rusher who will be demanding heaps of cash.
Hendrickson was given a one-year deal to prove to the Bengals and anybody else watching that he was worthy of a top-end contract. Unfortunately for all parties involved, his prove-it year did not go according to plan.
Surely contract negotiations next year will be just as drama-filled as they were last offseason.
Bengals $30 Million Edge Trey Hendrickson Predicted To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery