During this week’s NFL owner’s meetings, Cincinnati Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn chose her words poorly when discussing contract negotiations with standout edge rusher Trey Hendrickson.
“I think he should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn’t think he’d be happy at,” Blackburn told Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “I believe some of it is on him to be happy at some point, and if he isn’t, it might be a hindrance. So, you know, he has to agree to something…”
Hendrickson appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” the next day, and he expressed his dissatisfaction with the incident.
“Those comments from Katie Blackburn were definitely disappointing, and communication has been poor over the last couple of months” , Hendrickson tweeted. “It’s been a little annoying, but if they have anything they’d like to talk about, we’re always prepared to listen. When I say communication has been poor, I mean that it has occurred intermittently. We have no ambition to be the highest-paid, and we have tried to be as patient as possible. Three years ago, I started asking for a long-term contract with guaranteed pay. It was difficult to understand what I read yesterday.”
Regarding Blackburn’s “certain rates” comment, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that the Bengals’ offer to Hendrickson is in the $28 million per year level. That is less than Hendrickson’s generally accepted market worth, which begins with a “3”. The conversation would be different if he hadn’t performed, but he has.
Grade the trade proposal: Lions yield and make deal for Trey Hendrickson.
This week at the league meetings, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes sought to make a general plea of poverty for decisions made (or not done) this summer. Yes, there are some significant contract extensions on the horizon, but they will not affect the balance sheet until 2026 or later.
Holmes dislikes the term “Super Bowl window,” but the Lions have one, and it has narrowed slightly over the last two years due to playoff defeats short of the big game. This is not the time to sit on your hands due to expense and potential cost concerns.
Following recent developments, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report has compiled a new list of clubs who should pursue Hendrickson in a trade before the draft later this month.
The Lions are undoubtedly on the list, with the following trade proposal.
Lions Get: Edge. Trey Hendrickson, 2025 second-round pick (49th overall).
Bengals Receive: 2025 first-round selection (28th overall)
The 28th overall pick is a plausible cost to get Hendrickson, though it’s reasonable to expect the Bengals will want more than one draft pick if they sell him. Attaching a draft pick to him would appear to be a no-go for them. However, the Bengals’ leverage may be dwindling, especially if Hendrickson is prepared to try to force them to do anything by sitting out.
Giving Hendrickson a contract extension would be a natural component of negotiating a deal for him, turning it into a no-go for the Lions.
However, Dan Campbell, who was on the New Orleans Saints coaching staff when Hendrickson began his career, could be an advocate for Hendrickson and a salesperson for the concept of making an aggressive trade for him.
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