Week 1 is right around the corner for the Cincinnati Bengals, as they’ll look to hit the ground running and end their two-season playoff drought. However, with Trey Hendrickson still holding out due to his contract situation, Cincinnati are in a challenging spot.
The Bengals’ offense will likely be among the top of the NFL with Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, and Ja’Marr Chase leading the charge. However, the big question for Cincinnati is one defense and whether or not they can stop the opposition.
Cincinnati and Hendrickson haven’t reached a contract extension yet, and it looks like he’s prepared to sit out the season rather than play without contract security.
On Wednesday, former Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason appeared on “Up & Adams” and stated that Cincinnati need to figure out a way to keep Hendrickson rather than letting him walk.
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“I don’t know how you don’t get him back into camp,” Esiason told Adams. “So to me, he’s a very important player. And players like Trey — they get upset when they don’t feel like they’re being treated right. Now, he was treated right when he came over from New Orleans. They gave him a contract, and he’s played almost every single play that he could play for them. I think he’s the perfect fit for Cincinnati, and they need to sign him.
“I’d like to see some meeting in the middle. And my compromise would be two more years on a contract and probably about $15 to $20 million in more guaranteed money so he’ll make his money this year. That’s already guaranteed. He wants guaranteed money beyond this year. And I think he should be rewarded for what he’s given them.”
“I think he’s the perfect fit for Cincinnati and they need to sign him.”
Boomer Esiason has a solution for the Bengals ongoing contract dispute with Trey Hendrickson 💰@heykayadams | @7BOOMERESIASON | #WhoDey pic.twitter.com/lVNhDlNBPO
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) July 23, 2025
While it would be ideal to have Hendrickson in camp now to get ready for the new season, the real concern is if he’s not available by Week 1. Cincinnati still has time to sort things out, but the clock could start working against the Bengals if there’s no progress soon.
