Joe Burrow puts more pressure on Bengals as Trey Hendrickson drops worrying five-word message

The Cincinnati Bengals have entered the most intense phase of their preparation for the upcoming NFL season, aiming to be fully ready by Week 1. While Trey Hendrickson’s situation remains unresolved, Joe Burrow has spoken out on the matter — in a way that subtly puts pressure on the team to reach a resolution.

The quarterback knows he needs one of the most impactful pass rushers in the league in recent years at his side to help elevate a defense that will need all its talent to make a statement in the opening weeks of the season.

Speaking to the media after Wednesday’s practice, Burrow addressed his teammate’s situation, emphasizing that the team simply can’t afford to let him go. Hendrickson has more than proven his worth on the field and is now seeking a salary that reflects his production and impact.

“[M]ore so walking around, meetings, team meeting, training, room, stuff like that,” Burrow said, via Russ Heltman of SI.com. “He brings an intensity that is very unique, and so I think that’s good for us.”

Trey Hendrickson #91 celebrates after a sack during the second half of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Paycor Stadium on November 03, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“This is the guy that has the most sacks over the last two years,” he also added. “Production is value in this league. I know you can think you’re such a good player, but to not have any production doesn’t really matter. So when you have a guy like that, you want to reward him.”

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Burrow finally concluded: “Not a lot of teams getting these big deals done early in the offseason, only a couple. I think it’s pretty commonplace across the league to have these things done around this time, a little later towards Game 1. So, that’s probably what you’re going to see.”

Hendrickson’s view of the situation

The situation between the Bengals’ front office and Trey Hendrickson appears to be at a standstill regarding his contract extension. The pass rusher is aiming to become one of the highest-paid players at his position, but so far, there are no signs of progress.

Even less so after his comments following his appearance at training camp, where — according to Adam Schefter via his official X account — everything seems to remain at a deadlock.

“After Trey Hendrickson officially ended his holdout today, he spoke to reporters and summed up the state of negotiations with the Bengals. ‘Things are exactly the same,’ he said,” the insider revealed via @AdamSchefter.