Bengals turned down 2nd-round pick for Trey Hendrickson, according to NFL Network

It’s not news that the Cincinnati Bengals’ front office loves a good deal.

But in the midst of a lengthy contract dispute with Trey Hendrickson, it has come out that they might love a good deal a bit too much.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Bengals turned down “a second-round pick and change” for Hendrickson before the 2025 NFL Draft. They were, according to the insider, holding out for a first-rounder.

That was months ago.

Now that they still haven’t been able to close the gap on guaranteed money with the star pass rusher, they have, according to Pelissero, softened their stance.

“At this point, the Bengals would want a player, somebody who could maybe even replace some of the production they got from Trey Hendrickson, as well as a pick in the 2026 draft,” he said.

You can watch the segment below.

Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that the Bengals are looking for “a young defensive player and a 2026 first-round pick.”

So it’s not entirely clear if the front office has, indeed, softened its stance.

At any rate, there is a major issue in communication with Hendrickson and the Bengals, which we captured in the video below.