If the Bengals don’t want to extend Hendrickson, a trade could yield a significant return.

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The numbers just don’t add up. Ja’Marr Chase ($30+ million per year), Tee Higgins ($20+ million), and Trey Hendrickson ($22+ million) all need or deserve new contracts. The Cincinnati Bengals have $46,567,407 in 2025 salary cap space.

While a little creative accounting might make it possible to keep all three, there would not be much left over for the rest of the team. That does not make for a winning combination, but there are alternatives.

One would be to trade one of your stars. The Bengals have one of the best offenses in the league, and that’s a formula you probably don’t want to mess with, not if you hope to get back to the playoffs and make another Super Bowl run.

The defense is rebuilding, and there’s a lot of work to do. So, the most logical place to make a change would be on defense. No one wants to see Hendrickson go, but just think of the haul you might get in return, both in draft capital and cap space.

Plus, it sounds like Hendrickson is only interested in an extension or a trade, so the Bengals may not have much choice unless they want to risk an in-season holdout.

Trade Compensation

At the very least, the Bengals get a second-round pick for Hendrickson, either this year or next year. But let’s assume no deal is made before this year’s draft as the two look to work something out in the coming months.

The Bengals should be shooting for a first-round pick in the 2026 draft. They may need to toss in one of their own Day 3 picks to make it happen, but it’s reasonable to think there’s a team out there willing to spend what they believe will be a late first-round pick for a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

A second and either a third or fourth-round pick might be the most realistic best package Cincinnati could get.

Free Agency

Cincinnati is in desperate need of offensive guards, defensive tackles, and defensive ends. What if you could get one of each in return for Hendrickson?

The Detroit Lions might just have an answer. They have a slew of potential free agents who would make excellent trade bait.

Offensive guard Kevin Zeitler, who was originally selected by Cincinnati in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, will be a free agent this season and can probably be had on a one-year, $8 million contract. The 6-foot-4, 340-pound Wisconsin product, despite being 34 years old, managed an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 86.8, placing him 5^th among 135 eligible guards.

Defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike is 6-foot-3, 290 pounds, and only 26 years old. Onwuzurike finished with three sacks this past season and managed an overall grade of 69.4, good for 33^rd position out of 219 eligible tackles. The Bengals could probably pick him up for $20 million over two years.

Finally, Cincinnati could add another defensive end in Al-Quadin Muhammad. His estimated contract would likely fall in the $1.5 – $3 million per year range. Muhammad had three sacks in limited action last year.

Bengals Mock Draft

If the Bengals do indeed trade Hendrickson, and if they come up with anywhere near the haul that is anticipated above, the 2025 NFL Draft takes on a completely different identity.

Regardless, you can never have too much talent on the defensive line, and Cincinnati will literally sprint to the podium if this name is still on the board in the first round. The next two rounds will continue to fill positions of need.

No. 17 — Mykel Williams, Georgia Bulldogs, Defensive End, 6-foot-5, 265 pounds

Williams has a rare combination of size, length, quickness, and athleticism. He’s lined up everywhere from head-up over the center to a stand-up edge rusher. Overall, his versatility makes him an intriguing prospect with a lot of upside.

Williams finished the season with five sacks and two forced fumbles and turned in a pair of sacks in the SEC Championship win over Texas. There was a time he was in the discussion for the No. 1 overall pick, but an ankle injury suffered in the opener kept him from reaching his full potential in 2024.

No. 49 — Elic Ayomanor, Stanford Cardinal, Wide Receiver, 6-foot-2, 210 pounds

Ayomanor is a powerful and elusive receiver with the ability to succeed at the next level. He had 63 receptions for 831 yards and six touchdowns this past season and has shown himself to be an excellent possession receiver. He is a dynamic receiver who can outrun corners and safeties and is also a willing blocker on the perimeter.

No. 81 — Cobee Bryant, Kansas Jayhawks, Cornerback, 6-foot-0, 175 pounds

Bryant has natural athleticism and length and has demonstrated outstanding ball-hawking abilities with four interceptions in each of the past two seasons. He is able to disrupt receivers in press coverage and is a willing and aggressive tackler.