The Cincinnati Bengals aim to secure long-term contracts for Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Trey Hendrickson this offseason, as reported by Dianna Russini of The Athletic. With the legal tampering period approaching on March 10, negotiations remain unresolved, and Higgins has received a franchise tag to facilitate exclusive talks. There’s concern that the Bengals might fail to sign all three, with Hendrickson likely being the one omitted due to his age and contract situation. Despite his impressive performance as a pass rusher, prioritizing the younger players could leave the Bengals’ already struggling defense in a more challenging position.
The Cincinnati Bengals’ strategy this offseason is centered around securing long-term contracts for Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Trey Hendrickson.
Dianna Russini from The Athletic recently discussed this in her report regarding insights gathered from the NFL Combine.
Nonetheless, the Legal Tampering period before free agency is fast approaching (March 10th), and none of the three players have finalized their contracts yet. Although Higgins received the franchise tag, this was anticipated as a means to allow exclusive negotiations with him.
There exists a possibility that the Bengals could falter in negotiations, leaving all three unsigned.
In that scenario, Russini stated, “If the Bengals can’t finalize agreements with all three, Hendrickson is likely to be the one left out.”
Anyone familiar with the Bengals’ operations shouldn’t be taken aback. Higgins and Chase are approaching the peak of their careers, while Hendrickson is nearing his 30s.
Hendrickson has posted 17.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons and has been the primary pass-rushing concern for opposing offenses. His performance is commendable and deserves more than the approximately $16 million he is set to earn in 2025, particularly after leading the league in sacks last season.
The only reason Cincinnati might diverge from their typical approach and offer Hendrickson a contract could be due to the state of their defense. Their pass-rushing options are already sparse, and losing Hendrickson would exacerbate that issue.
Additionally, numerous gaps on the defense will require attention, and while draft picks could address some of these needs, losing Hendrickson creates a void that is much more challenging to fill through free agency and the draft than simply extending him a bit more than what is typically comfortable.
From a team-building viewpoint, it’s logical to focus on players in their mid-20s, but it’s hard to feel confident with a struggling defense poised to become even weaker.