Cincinnati’s decision essentially ends what has been an adventurous (and for some, exhausting) couple of years for Hendrickson and the Bengals, who found themselves mired in a prolonged contract dispute that included pleas for a competitive long-term extension, trade requests, eventual permission and ultimately, a stalemate that ended only after agreeing to a short-term solution. With Hendrickson’s revised, one-year deal now just days from expiration, it seems Cincinnati isn’t too keen on keeping the 2024 All-Pro in town.
Hendrickson posted consecutive 17.5-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024, boosting his earning power at a crucial point in his career as he approached his 31st birthday. Following the prolonged dispute and eventual resolution last offseason, Hendrickson played in just seven games in 2025 — his first single-digit total of games played in a season since 2018 — due to a core muscle injury that required season-ending surgery in early December.
At 31 years old, Hendrickson now likely arrives at a final chance to cash in. He’ll hit free agency for the first time since 2021 and should welcome a collection of interested suitors seeking an upgrade on the edge.
With this in mind, where might Hendrickson land? Let’s take a look at four potential pairings and one (unlikely) wild-card scenario.
