Dec 22, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) runs onto the field before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

By now, Cincinnati Bengals fans don’t really need to be told that the team won’t trade star defensive end Trey Hendrickson.

But it sure doesn’t hurt to hear it again, right?

That’s something essentially confirmed now by Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz: “The idea of a trade appears dead, and the Bengals would love to complete a sweep of paying all their key players.”

When the Bengals granted Hendrickson and his reps permission to seek a trade, it never felt like anything more than a negotiating tactic. Other teams were obviously interested in the NFL’s sack leader, but it seemed like more of a willingness to let him go see what the contract market is, then come back to the negotiating table. Cincinnati’s asking price in a trade has always been too high for a reason.

So far, that’s how things have played out. Hendrickson wants a pay raise and long-term security and the Bengals want to give him that. Now, the market seems firmly established and a trade remains off the table.

The biggest concern now is how long this stretches out. Now in his 30s, Hendrickson isn’t likely to sit out on the final year of his current contract, so whether this bleeds into the summer or finds a resolution soon is something to watch.