Cincinnati Bengals' Executive VP Katie Blackburn unsure about retaining Trey Hendrickson, still undergoing contract talks
Cincinnati Bengals have secured long-term deals for key offensive stars like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. However, their defensive standout Trey Hendrickson’s future remains in a lurch. The Executive Vice President of Bengals, Katie Blackburn, addressed the situation during the NFL's Annual League Meeting. She stated that the team is still working through negotiations.
Blackburn while speaking to the media said that the team will see how it all plays out. She acknowledged that the franchise allowed Hendrickson to seek a trade and yet no deal or contract extension has materialised, the reports stated.
Hendrickson was the NFL’s reigning sack leader with 17.5 sacks last season. He, as per the reports, has been pushing for a lucrative long-term deal. But the Bengals have reportedly not met his demands yet. This has raised speculation about a possible trade before the NFL Draft 2025.
Why did the Bengals allow Hendrickson to explore a trade?
According to a Sports Illustrated report, Blackburn explained that Cincinnati does not trade away its top players usually. However, Hendrickson expressed strong interest in gauging market value.
The report quoted Blackburn saying that as the team is trying to put all the pieces together, they have certain limitations. She added that Hendrickson seemingly felt strongly about it and thought the strength of interest in the market would be at a certain level. Katie added that the team does not do this often, but in this case, she said, they felt it was the right thing to do.
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The Bengals reportedly sought a first-round pick in return. But they have not received any acceptable offer. Blackburn stated that the ball is ultimately in Hendrickson’s court. She, as per the reports,