All offseason, Green Bay Packers fans watched the relationship between Trey Hendrickson and the Cincinnati Bengals deteriorate, as Hendrickson sought a new contract. With the star defender requesting a trade, Packers fans were hoping his frustration would lead him to Green Bay, a contender that could really use edge rushing help. Unfortunately, that won’t be happening this offseason.
On Monday, Hendrickson and the Bengals agreed on a revised deal that gives him a $15 million dollar raise for the 2025 season. The NFL’s current sack king is now set to make $30 million this year, and he’s ready to get back on the field for Cincinnati. That officially ends any hope that he would be traded to the Packers.
While fans can be sad about not having Hendrickson this season, there is an optimistic outlook. His new deal was only a raise, not an extension. That means Hendrickson is still set to enter free agency next offseason.
It’s a $14M raise this year for Hendrickson, plus he will be a free agent at the end of the year. He’ll make $30M with the chance to cash in again.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 25, 2025
Cincy does what’s necessary to put their team in position to win. And one of the NFL’s longest running soap operas ends. https://t.co/tiY04h3mcw
Packers could still land Trey Hendrickson in 2026 free agency
While it would’ve been great to have the defensive end this season, Green Bay may have a cheaper path to acquiring the star defender — it’s just going to take a little patience. Barring an extension with Cincinnati, or the Bengals using a franchise tag on him next offseason, he will enter free agency. At that point, the Packers won’t have to move any assets to get him; they’ll just have to pay him a lot of money.
Hendrickson will be 31 at the time, and while his age played a factor in his messy negotiations with the Bengals, he has shown no signs of slowing down. Entering his ninth season, the veteran defensive end started every game of the last two seasons, and recorded 17.5 sacks in each season — the two best years of his career.
If he puts together another season like that, after his drama-filled offseason that saw him miss all of training camp, Hendrickson will be a top free agent with a lot of suitors, and the Packers should be at the front of the line.