The Cincinnati Bengals paid their best offensive players.
Now, they have to do the same for their defensive star, Trey Hendrickson.
At least, that’s how Cam Jordan feels.
The New Orleans Saints defensive end recently showed his solidarity for his fellow pass rusher:
“He needs to be paid. Give him all the money. Run the bag. Just empty the bag. Don’t let a guy like Trey Hendrickson walk. They’ve never had a guy like Trey Hendrickson in Cincinnati. When you have something proven, you add to that,” Jordan said on “Up & Adams.”
“Just empty the bag… don’t let a guy like Trey Hendrickson walk” 💰
Saints DE Cam Jordan weighs in on his former teammate’s contract situation@heykayadams | @camjordan94 pic.twitter.com/frGfTcg49w
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 14, 2025
Hendrickson is with the team but is not practicing.
He could continue to stay off the field to begin the season, and that would noticeably hurt the Bengals, who desperately need some momentum on defense.
Even if he decides to play at his current salary, he could look to leave as a free agent this coming offseason.
The Bengals have a long history of dragging out contract negotiations and low-balling their stars, so this isn’t a surprise.
This team had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season despite Hendrickson leading the league with 17.5 sacks.
The Bengals reportedly allowed Hendrickson to seek a trade this offseason, but no team was willing to meet their steep demands.
Ironically, as much as they value him as a trade chip, they don’t seem to feel he’s worth as much when the money is coming out of their pockets.
The Bengals have a generational talent in quarterback Joe Burrow, but they’re not doing everything they can to make sure they have what they need to get back to the Super Bowl.
