Baltimore Ravens edge rusher Trey Hendrickson subtly jabbed the Cincinnati Bengals
For the first time since 2021, the Cincinnati Bengals will open the season without Trey Hendrickson, their former All-Pro edge rusher who anchored the pass rush for five seasons after arriving in a trade from the New Orleans Saints. Hendrickson signed a four-year, $112 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens on March 11 (max value $120 million, $60 million fully guaranteed). The move keeps him in the AFC North and immediately makes him a twice-a-year opponent for Joe Burrow and the Bengals.
His relationship with the Bengals front office started deteriorating two offseasons ago. After posting back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024, Hendrickson sought long-term security. But Cincinnati reportedly offered him incentive-heavy and short-term deals that left performance bonuses largely out of his control.
In April 2025 Hendrickson publicly called executive vice president Katie Blackburn’s comments on negotiations “disappointing” and cited “poor” direct contact with his agent. He played 2025 on a reworked one-year deal but made clear he would not accept another short-term arrangement.
The Bengals ultimately declined to use the franchise tag in March, freeing him as an unrestricted free agent. Days after Baltimore backed out of a Maxx Crosby trade, the Ravens pivoted and signed Hendrickson.
Hendrickson Throws Subtle Shot at Bengals During Ravens’ Jersey Unveiling
During the Ravens’ 2026 jersey unveiling on Thursday, Hendrickson took a subliminal shot at his former team.
“It’s such an incredible honor to continue to play in the AFC North, on the right side of the ball,” Hendrickson said to loud cheers from Baltimore fans (h/t Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic).
Bengals fans widely interpreted the remark as a pointed reference to the contract impasse and the franchise’s approach to negotiations.
Before the relationship between both parties broke down, Hendrickson played 72 regular-season games with Cincinnati and recorded 114 solo tackles, 57 assists and 61.0 sacks while earning four Pro Bowl nods and one All-Pro selection. He led the NFL in sacks in one-score games in 2024 with 12.5 and consistently ranked among the league’s most disruptive edge defenders.
His 2025 season was uncharacteristically limited by injury. Hendrickson appeared in just seven games before undergoing season-ending core-muscle surgery in December. He finished with 16 tackles (11 solo), 4.0 sacks, 3.0 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits and one forced fumble. The injury forced him to miss the final 10 games, and marked a sharp contrast to the double-digit sack totals he posted in the two prior years.
Hendrickson’s exit, alongside Joseph Ossai’s departure, has since forced the Bengals to make two free-agency moves; defensive end Boye Mafe on a three-year, $60 million deal and Jonathan Allen at defensive tackle.