The Cincinnati Bengals were already facing some uncertainty moving forward because of the contract situations of star wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, which has led to rumors that Higgins could be traded.
But they were dealt another challenge on Wednesday when star defensive end Trey Hendrickson asked to be traded because, like Chase and Higgins, he has been asking for a lucrative contract extension.
Luckily for Bengals fans, the team reportedly has no intention of trading him, per Paul Dehner Jr.
I can confirm Trey Hendrickson has requested a trade, as @AdamSchefter reported.
I can also confirm the #Bengals have zero interest in dealing him and don’t intend to do so.
Just as with Tee Higgins, they are trying to win the Super Bowl this year, not deal stars.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) April 24, 2024
Usually, when a star or key player asks to be traded, his team will refuse to honor that request, or it will at least claim publicly it will not honor that request.
Hendrickson is arguably the lynchpin of Cincinnati’s defense, and he has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of the last three seasons.
In 2023, he had 17.5 sacks, 25 quarterback hits, and 16 tackles for loss.
The Bengals suffered through a lost season last year, as quarterback Joe Burrow dealt with a calf strain in training camp and the first several weeks of the regular season, then suffered a wrist injury in Week 11 that sidelined him for the duration.
On paper, they have a team that is very capable of returning to the Super Bowl and possibly winning it all, but if Hendrickson and/or Higgins end up getting traded, it would be hard to imagine them having that type of success.
The Bengals have gotten to the Super Bowl three times, most recently at the end of the 2021 season, but they have never earned the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
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Bengals Pro Bowl Defender Has Requested A Trade