Bengals' depleted defense could take major hit after they give sack leader permission to seek trade: report

The Cincinnati Bengals arguably missed the playoffs past play due to the fact that of their defense, but it does not look similar the beforehand bureau sees immoderate urgency to hole it.

Reports accidental the squad has fixed Trey Hendrickson, who led the NFL successful sacks past season, support to question a trade.

The 30-year-old recorded a career-high 17½ sacks during the 2024 season, but the Bengals person made it wide that, contempt their antiaircraft woes, they privation to support receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, some of whom fig to beryllium expensive.

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Cincinnati Bengals antiaircraft extremity Trey Hendrickson holds up his digit aft a antiaircraft halt Dec. 19, 2021, astatine Empower Field successful Denver, Colo. (Albert Cesare/The Enquirer/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Director of subordinate unit Duke Tobin said astatine the NFL Scouting Combine that Chase, who recorded a receiving triple crown past season, "is going to extremity up being the No. 1 paid non-quarterback successful the league."

Higgins, meanwhile, was fixed the Bengals' franchise tag, and the 2 sides are moving toward a semipermanent deal.

Joe Burrow was successful the MVP conversation, starring the NFL with 4,918 yards passing and 43 touchdowns. He finished 4th successful the MVP vote, and 2,619 of those passing yards were distributed to Chase and Higgins. It could person been much had Higgins not missed 5 games.

The Hendrickson quality comes aft Sam Hubbard retired earlier this week astatine the property of 29.

Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals earlier a crippled against the Pittsburgh Steelers astatine Acrisure Stadium Dec. 23, 2023, successful Pittsburgh.  (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

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Hendrickson turned 30 successful December, has been with Cincinnati since 2021 and has been an implicit bargain for them. He spent his archetypal 4 seasons with the New Orleans Saints but failed to enactment up numbers until his last play there, signaling a career-high astatine the clip of 13½ sacks aft conscionable 6½ successful his archetypal 3 NFL seasons.

Since the Bengals acquired him, he's posted astatine slightest 14 sacks successful 3 of his 4 seasons. He's besides made the Pro Bowl each play arsenic a Bengal.

Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals takes a antiaircraft stance during a crippled against the Minnesota Vikings astatine Paycor Stadium Dec. 16, 2023, successful Cincinnati. (Jeff Dean/Getty Images)

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Hendrickson has a headdress deed of astir $19 million, and the Bengals would prevention astir $16 cardinal with a commercialized oregon release, which figures to spell toward their receivers. 

Hendrickson volition go a escaped cause aft the 2025 season.

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