Trey Hendrickson $100M extension rumor explained: facts vs. market reality

A wild rumor about Trey Hendrickson is making waves online and it has Bengals fans raising eyebrows. Reports claim the star defensive end is seeking a 3-year, $100 million extension.

Sounds like a flex, but is it fact or just social media smoke?

A viral tweet stirred the pot but there’s no official word from the Bengals

Trey Hendrickson is “rumored to be seeking a 3-year, $100M contract extension.” It immediately picked up steam, with fans and insiders chiming in.

But let’s be clear: the Bengals haven’t confirmed a thing, and neither has Hendrickson’s camp. The word “rumored” is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.

So for now, we’re in speculation territory.

Let’s talk numbers: how wild is a $33M/year demand for a DE?

To understand how out-there this rumor is, just compare it to top edge rusher contracts:

Top EDGE rusher contracts as of July 2025

Hendrickson is great, but he’s not putting up Bosa/Watt-level numbers consistently.

A $33.3M/year ask would technically make him one of the highest paid edge rushers in the league.That’s a stretch.

What do actual projections suggest for Hendrickson’s value?

According to Spotrac founder Michael Ginnitti, if Hendrickson were to sign an extension, a more realistic number would be somewhere around:

That puts him in the Montez Sweat / Danielle Hunter tier, which matches his 2023 performance and market age.

So that $100M figure? Likely negotiation leverage, not a real demand.

But wait… does he even want to stay?Let’s not forget, Trey Hendrickson already requested a trade earlier this offseason.

His current deal has one year left, and he’s skipped OTAs, signaling frustration. If this holdout rumor is true, it might be part of a push to force the Bengals’ hand whether to get paid or get out.Whether or not Hendrickson is actually asking for $100 million, one thing is clear: he’s unhappy with his current deal, and things are boiling behind the scenes in Cincinnati.The Bengals will have to decide fast: pay him what he’s worth, or risk losing another key defensive piece.FAQsQ: Is the $100M deal confirmed by Trey Hendrickson or his agent?No. The rumor originated from a viral tweet. There has been no official confirmation.Q: Is Trey Hendrickson holding out from camp?He skipped voluntary OTAs earlier this offseason. It’s unclear if he will report to camp without a new deal.Q: Has Trey Hendrickson requested a trade before?Yes, reports earlier in 2024 stated he requested a trade despite having one year left on his deal.Also read- Insider says Travis Kelce’s actions during Taylor Swift’s dad’s surgery brought him ‘closer than ever’ to marriage