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Ben BabyJul 29, 2025, 07:12 PM ET
- Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
CINCINNATI — The last major contract issue for the Cincinnati Bengals could be inching closer to a resolution.
All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson is set to end his holdout and report for training camp on Wednesday, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Hendrickson has been absent for the team’s first week of workouts as he tries to land a contract extension ahead of the upcoming season.
Hendrickson was officially placed on the team’s did not report list on July 23, one day after the rest of the team’s veterans arrived. According to the terms of the current collective bargaining agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association, Hendrickson can be fined a maximum of $50,000 for each day missed. Had Hendrickson’s holdout included missed preseason games, he also was subject to losing some of his base salary for the 2025 season.
But perhaps most importantly, Hendrickson’s decision to join the Bengals for training camp could help create movement in the stalemate.
According to a source, Hendrickson’s impending arrival serves as a good faith gesture to spark negotiations with the team.
Hendrickson, who will turn 31 this season, is the reigning NFL sack leader. He was named to the Associated Press All-Pro Team after leading the league with 17.5 sacks. He also was a Pro Bowl selection for the fourth straight season.
The former Florida Atlantic standout is set to earn $16 million in cash. Hendrickson is seeking a long-term extension with guaranteed money that goes past the first year. The team recently made an offer in hopes of trying to get Hendrickson on board this season.
If the two sides can get the issue resolved, the Bengals will finally have their full complement of players for the first time since the 2024 campaign ended.
Hendrickson skipped all of the team’s offseason workouts because of the contract situation. Rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart, the team’s first-round pick in April’s draft, signed his rookie contract on Saturday, ending a monthslong dispute with the team.
