Bengals make Trey Hendrickson decision that spells end of time in Cincinnati

Bengals make Trey Hendrickson decision that spells end of time in Cincinnati originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cincinnati Bengals, before the 2026 offseason could truly begin, were faced with a big decision on a veteran pass rusher in Trey Hendrickson.

He was set to be a free agent, but the Bengals had the option to franchise tag Hendrickson to keep him under contract for one more season.

However, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports, the Bengals are not going to franchise tag Hendrickson this offseason, letting the All-Pro pass rusher hit free agency for the first time since his 2021 signing with the Bengals.

Bengals make big Trey Hendrickson decision that ends Cincy career

"The Bengals are not franchise tagging star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, per me and @TomPelissero," Rapoport reports. "One of the NFL's best is free."

Hendrickson has spent five years with the Bengals after signing with the team in 2021. It's been a wildly successful pairing.

The now-31-year-old pass rusher played in 72 games for the Bengals, and during that time, he recorded 61 sacks, including back-to-back 17.5 sack seasons in 2023 and 2024.

Hendrickson was named to four Pro Bowl rosters and was also an All-Pro in 2024 while also finishing as the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year.

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However, his 2025 season, just seven games due to injury, was far from ideal. He recorded just 4.0 sacks and 16 tackles in the worst season he's had since coming to Cincinnati.

While his time in Cincinnati didn't end on a good note, the superstar pass rusher has been one of the Bengals' best free agent signings ever.

He had a fantastic Bengals career, and while he could still technically re-sign in the offseason, he's likely headed towards a massive contract with a new team.

More Bengals news:

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• Bengals are best landing spot for Jaguars LB who had 99-yard pick-six off Patrick Mahomes
• Bengals are best fit for Chiefs' free agent 250-pound, 218-tackle linebacker
• Bengals trade idea lands Cowboys DT recently acquired in blockbuster trade for cheap
• Why Bengals should prioritize Joe Flacco over Trey Hendrickson in free agency