Cincinnati faces defensive uncertainty as star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson stands firm on not playing under his current contract.

When the Cincinnati Bengals selected Shemar Stewart in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, it didn't have much to do with Trey Hendrickson and the All-Pro's current contract standoff with the team.

The Bengals managed to retain their key offensive players by securing new deals for wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and tight end Mike Gesicki. While there have been indications that they want to hold onto Hendrickson to keep their defense intact, it sounds like he simply may be too expensive to keep.