Trey Hendrickson, 2024 sack leader, absent from Cincinnati Bengals training camp amid contract dispute

Trey Hendrickson will not be reporting to mandatory training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Team veterans were expected to report to Kettering Health Practice Fields in Ohio today, but instead, the 30-year-old posted a picture on social media suggesting he was in Florida.

The news should come as little surprise. DAZN's NFL news team highlighted the story as one of the most interesting to follow as training camp approached following a tumultuous negotiation period between Hendrickson and the Bengals.

During that awkward standoff between the two sides, Hendrickson went as far as to suggest he would not play until a contract extension was reached.

Elite sack artists are highly sought after in the NFL, often earning contracts that rival the value of some quarterbacks. With that in mind, Hendrickson appears to have some leverage after leading the league with 17.5 sacks in 2024.

The Bengals have stated that they want him back. Mike Brown suggested yesterday that "he deserves a raise, he did well, and he played effectively. He's important to us."

However, that statement appears to have done little to encourage Hendrickson to budge, as he continues to hold out for more guaranteed money as he enters the final year of his current deal.

The Bengals' defense struggled mightily in 2025, and with first-round rookie edge rusher Shemar Stewart also holding out due to a contract dispute, the pressure is mounting on Cincinnati to resolve these issues quickly.

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