Bengals' Trey Hendrickson slams team exec as contract talks take bitter turn

Cincinnati Bengals prima Trey Hendrickson is hitting backmost astatine squad enforcement Katie Blackburn aft she told reporters the antiaircraft extremity should beryllium 'happy' with the existent wage complaint astatine his position.

'I deliberation helium should beryllium blessed astatine definite rates that possibly helium doesn't deliberation he'd beryllium blessed at,' Blackburn told reporters astatine the NFL's yearly wintertime meetings successful Palm Beach, Florida earlier this week.

'I deliberation immoderate of it is connected him to beryllium blessed astatine immoderate point, and if he's not, you know, that's what holds it up sometimes. So, you know, it takes him to accidental ''yes'' to something, and also, we person each the respect successful the satellite for him.'

With his declaration acceptable to expire aft the 2025 season, Hendrickson and his cause were granted support to question a trade, lone for Bengals manager of subordinate unit Duke Tobin to explicit his tendency to motion the four-time Pro Bowler to a semipermanent extension.

However, that woody has yet to materialize, and arsenic Hendrickson told ESPN's Pat McAfee, Blackburn's comments aren't helping the situation.

'Open enactment of connection is ever unfastened with maine and my agent, truthful if they person thing they'd similar to discuss, we've been thing but consenting to listen,' helium said.

'Through this process, communication, erstwhile I accidental it's been poor, it's been, like, present and there.'

Hendrickson made it wide that helium doesn't responsibility the squad for signing prima receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to four-year extensions totaling $276 cardinal successful full value. Rather, Hendrickson wishes he'd known that the squad would prioritize the receivers earlier moving connected to his declaration situation.

'And respect to Ja'Marr and Tee,' Hendrickson told McAfee. 'I don't privation to instrumentality thing from each the large things they've accomplished successful their careers. They merit everything that they've gotten, and nary uncertainty successful my caput they're going to excel successful the National Football League. I person a tremendous respect for some of them.

'But erstwhile it comes to my situation, it would person been bully to cognize successful immoderate ways, like, ''Hey we're going to enactment you successful the queue,'' nary occupation with me.'

And portion the play is inactive 5 months away, Hendrickson stressed this is simply a substance of urgency, fixed the information that organized squad activities are acceptable to statesman aboriginal this month.

What's more, the Bengals mislaid their different starting antiaircraft end, Sam Hubbard, who abruptly retired astatine property 29 aft the 2024 season.

'When you person things similar OTAs coming and guys similar Sam Hubbard, who's been a tremendous skipper for our squad past year, that leaves a vacancy for that and I'm excited to capable that, but however bash we scope that earlier we get there,' Hendrickson said. 'Those are the things that substance erstwhile you're talking astir a Super Bowl. It's successful the small things and the small details.'

Hendrickson said determination is nary existent deadline to scope a deal, but does person immoderate strict presumption that helium is unwilling to ignore.

Namely, Hendrickson wants to cognize he'll beryllium successful Cincinnati for the foreseeable future.

'I don't deliberation I privation to play for incentives that volition beryllium retired of my control,' helium said. 'I don't deliberation I privation to play connected a short-term declaration and spot wherever it goes. I would similar to beryllium capable to archer my wife, here's wherever we're going to physique a household together.'

Hendrickson had 17 1/2 sacks successful some 2023 and 2024. His 57 sacks since joining the Bengals successful 2021 are third-most successful the NFL implicit the past 4 years.

The Bengals person not responded to Hendrickson, though the squad is known to disapprove of immoderate disapproval from players.

The infamous 'Carl Pickens Clause' appeared successful immoderate subordinate contracts aft the prima receiver blasted the Bengals to the media successful the 1990s. Under the clause, which was upheld by a tribunal determination successful 2001, the squad has the close to recoup immoderate oregon each of a player's signing bonus if helium criticizes the Bengals successful public.

It's unclear if Hendrickson has that clause successful his contract. DailyMail.com has reached retired to his cause for comment.