Bengals Never Received Better Than Fourth-Round Pick Offer For Trey Hendrickson
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Bengals never received better than fourth-round pick for EDGE Trey Hendrickson before the trade deadline.
Rapoport explains that the Bengals wanted a second-round pick for Hendrickson, considering that they had paid $13 million of his $16 million base salary.
Teams, however, were concerned about Hendrickson’s health and the hip injury he’s been dealing with this season. Complicating matters further was that interested teams couldn’t give Hendrickson a physical before agreeing to a deal, which likely explains the low offers.
Hendrickson, 30, was selected with the No. 103 overall pick by the Saints out of Florida Atlantic in 2017. He finished his four-year rookie contract worth $3,106,288, which included a signing bonus of $706,284.
Hendrickson then signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Bengals back in 2021 and went on to appear in the Super Bowl for the team. Cincinnati signed him to a one-year extension through 2025 in 2023.
He was due a base salary of $15.8 million in the final year of his contract in 2025 when he and the team agreed to a $14 million raise to resolve a holdout.
In 2025, Hendrickson has appeared in seven games for the Bengals, recording 16 total tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble, and a pass deflection.
Just days after the trade deadline, Christian Watson upon learning that he wasn’t included in the contract extension plans due to his injury – moved the entire Packers Nation when he said: ‘I need a contract to fight in this jersey.’
Just days after the trade deadline, Christian Watson – the young and promising wide receiver of the Green Bay Packers – moved the entire Packers Nation with his heartfelt words amid growing uncertainty about his future. Despite a lingering hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined for most of the season, Watson sent out a powerful message: “I don’t need money or fame. I just need the chance to fight in this jersey to hear the ‘Go Pack Go!’ chants, to sweat, and to fall on Lambeau Field, the place where my heart will always belong.”
It wasn’t a demand — it was a plea from the heart of a man once expected to be the offensive cornerstone of the Jordan Love era. He wants to keep fighting, to prove he still has value to the team that believed in him from draft day.
According to internal sources, Watson personally met with general manager Brian Gutekunst right after practice earlier this week. The conversation lasted more than 20 minutes — no cameras, no reporters, just two men sitting in a quiet office overlooking Lambeau Field. When Watson walked out, he didn’t say a word — he just nodded.
A few hours later, Gutekunst was asked about Watson’s future. His response was brief, but it left the entire press room silent: “We don’t just sign players with healthy legs — we keep the hearts that are willing to fight for Green Bay. Because what makes the Packers special isn’t just strength, it’s belief, loyalty, and the will to give everything, even when the body gives out.”
That statement spread across social media, leaving fans deeply moved. To them, Watson isn’t just a player battling to save his career — he’s a symbol of loyalty, faith, and perseverance.
And even though a new contract hasn’t yet been placed on the table, one thing is certain — amid all the injuries and doubts, Christian Watson has already found something far greater than a deal: recognition, respect, and love from the team he will always call home.
