Wide receiver Tee Higgins was the first to request a trade after the team used their franchise tag on him. Now, edge rusher Trey Hendrickson has reportedly asked to be traded to another club.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Hendrickson is seeking more long-term security as he has non-guaranteed base salaries of $14.8 million and $15.8 million for the next two seasons. However, the Bengals have not been willing to fulfill that desire, prompting Hendrickson to seek a trade.
Hendrickson has been with the Bengals for the past three seasons and has been a standout player, recording 39.5 sacks in 48 regular season games. He also had 3.5 sacks in Super Bowl LVI. Despite his success with the team, it looks like his next sacks could come in a different uniform if the Bengals decide to grant his trade request.
The Bengals are facing trade requests from some of their key players this offseason as they look to rebuild their roster and move forward from their disappointing 2020 season. While Higgins’ request for a trade was somewhat unexpected given his young age and talent, Hendrickson’s desire for long-term security may be more understandable given his impressive performance over the past few years.
If the Bengals do decide to grant Hendrickson’s trade request, they will likely need to find a replacement at edge rusher who can help fill his big shoes and continue pushing their defense forward into contention for playoff spots in future seasons.