Bengals give Trey Hendrickson big pay bump after hold-in

CINCINNATI -- Trey Hendrickson's contract situation is resolved.

The star pass rusher will get a $14 million raise from the Cincinnati Bengals for this season, boosting his 2025 salary to $30 million, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.

Hendrickson's revised deal also includes a $1 million incentive that he collects if he plays 60% of the plays and the Bengals make the playoffs, sources told Schefter.

Hendrickson is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

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Before receiving the raise, Hendrickson had not participated in any offseason workouts, including all of training camp, while seeking a new deal with the club. He had insisted he would not play this season under the original contract at $16 million.

Hendrickson, 30, is coming off his best season in the NFL. He had 17.5 sacks in 2024, leading the league. Hendrickson also was named to The Associated Press All-Pro team and reached the Pro Bowl for the fourth straight season. He also had 17.5 sacks in the 2023 season.

It's the third significant deal the Bengals made this offseason in an effort to maintain their roster. In March, Cincinnati signed wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to significant extensions. Chase signed a four-year deal worth $161 million, comprising the highest average annual salary for a non-quarterback in league history at the time. Higgins signed a three-year deal worth $115 million.

Hendrickson is now the fourth player on the roster, including quarterback Joe Burrow, making an average of at least $30 million annually. Hendrickson is one of six NFL edge rushers at or above that salary threshold, according to OverTheCap.com.

This is the second time that Hendrickson has received a short-term cash infusion with the Bengals.

In 2023, Hendrickson signed a one-year extension that featured an $8 million signing bonus. That extended the four-year deal he signed with the Bengals that was initially worth $60 million.

Monday's agreement is a compromise for both sides ahead of the upcoming year. Throughout the offseason, Hendrickson had repeatedly said he wanted a long-term deal with significant guaranteed money.

Ahead of the team's second preseason game against the Washington Commanders on Aug. 18, Hendrickson told ESPN's Laura Rutledge that the two sides had agreed on the length and total value on a potential contract extension.

The arrangement for the upcoming season significantly increases the value of Hendrickson's contract for 2025, but he's still scheduled to become a free agent in 2026.

Hendrickson had insisted that he would not play this upcoming season on his current salary.

"There are plans on not having to play on the current deal," Hendrickson said July 30. "That's something we have [as] a common goal to get to. That's the plan moving forward."

At the team's annual media luncheon in July, Bengals team president Mike Brown also indicated that he believed Hendrickson had merited a pay increase based on his performance in previous seasons.

"He's a guy that I've said before has earned a raise and an extension," Brown said July 21. "I'd love to give him one. We're trying to work one out. It's a good problem to have."