Bengals may have raised asking price for Trey Hendrickson after Quinnen Williams trade, per NFL insider
Trey Hendrickson is still a Cincinnati Bengal, despite being in the last year of a deal that probably won’t get extended.
Cincinnati’s front office could have moved the star pass rusher to a number of teams that were interested, but failed to come to terms with any of its potential trade partners.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Bengals might have changed their minds about what they wanted in return for Hendrickson after they saw what the New York Jets got for Quinnen Williams (a 2026 second rounder and a 2026 first rounder) from the Dallas Cowboys.
Here’s what Schultz said:
“It was my understanding that they had lowered their asking price,” said Schultz of the Bengals. “Then, Quinnen Williams gets a massive haul from the Cowboys to the Jets. I think Cincinnati then said, ‘Ok, if we’re going to trade Hendrickson, it needs to be in the vicinity of Quinnen Williams.’ They were not going to get that for a 30-year-old pass rusher, as great as he is, on an expiring contract.”
Of course, Schultz did add, “I don’t think Cincinnati really ever wanted to trade Hendrickson, but between Indianapolis, Dallas…I thought maybe Seattle could get involved, but ultimately, the asking price was too high.”
For now, Hendrickson will have to try to carry the pass rush on a defense that is dealing with major communication issues. Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and running back Chase Brown let their frustrations be known following the ugly loss to the Chicago Bears.
Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Has Urgent Question For Aaron Rodgers And Arthur Smith
The Pittsburgh Steelers moved to 5-3 on Sunday after defeating the Indianapolis Colts 27-20 at Acrisure Stadium. It was a massive win for Pittsburgh as the team had struggled against the Colts over the past two seasons. This time they managed to take down one of the elite teams in the AFC.
This was also a nice win for Head Coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers because they had lost the previous two games. Getting an upset win over one of the best teams in the NFL is always inspiring. The Steelers' offense, led by Aaron Rodgers, was not at its best and played an average game at best, but Rodgers showed he can still make big-time plays. Execution needs to improve, especially in the red zone.
On his podcast Footbahlin, former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger shared his thoughts on how to help the offense score more touchdowns in the red zone. He is confused about why running back Jaylen Warren is not getting the ball more near the goal line. Roethlisberger believes Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith should give Warren multiple carries in goal-line situations, which could lead to more consistent touchdowns.
"Maybe he has just given total control to Aaron [Rodgers] to throw the little nows or whatever they call them, the little RPO type plays," Roethlisberger said while speaking on his podcast on Tuesday night. "Is it Arthur Smith doing it? I don't know what the deal is, but I would like to see them run it in the goal line. You know you got down to the two or three yard line a couple of times. Why is [Jaylen] Warren not getting the ball three or four times?"
It's very clear that Roethlisberger would like to see Warren get more carries. Especially when that football is near the painted line. Co-host Spencer Te’o pointed out that Warren averages 4.1 yards per carry and is capable of producing in those situations. Roethlisberger agreed with Te'o and then mentioned that the previous week he made the same comments about DK Metcalf.
He wanted Metcalf to receive four targets in goal-line situations. In Roethlisberger’s view, when the Steelers get near the end zone, the offense should focus only on Metcalf or Warren. He believes this is the key to success in the red zone for Smith and the team. If anyone knows how to score touchdowns, it is Roethlisberger.
Roethlisberger also noted that some of the issues may come from Rodgers checking out of plays at the line of scrimmage, making it difficult to place full blame. He would like to see Rodgers hand the ball to Warren more often in goal-line situations. If the Steelers can improve execution and commit to using Warren in short-yardage opportunities, they have a chance to turn red zone trips into more touchdowns and strengthen their offense for the rest of the season.
The Steelers Should Use Jaylen Warren More
Warren has carried the ball 99 times for 404 rushing yards and scored two rushing touchdowns through the first eight games. He has also been a weapon in the passing game, recording 21 catches for 193 receiving yards and adding one receiving touchdown.
If Metcalf is unable to get separation, as was the case during the Colts game, checking the ball down to Warren more often would be a smart move. He has been electric whenever he has the football, and Smith should find ways to get him even more touches and create opportunities to get him into space.
