The Bengals finally got smart about winning. After weeks of drama, Cincinnati locked in Trey Hendrickson for 2023, making their elite pass rusher happy while positioning themselves for another AFC championship run. It’s a page straight out of the Kansas City playbook – and one that could pay major dividends when the games matter most.
What Cincinnati did here mirrors exactly what the Chiefs did with Chris Jones last season. Kansas City reworked Jones’ deal to keep their defensive cornerstone happy without committing long-term dollars. The result? A Super Bowl victory over San Francisco.
Keeping last year’s NFL sack leader in stripes was essential for a team with championship aspirations.
Short-Term Fix, Long-Term Questions
While fans can breathe easier knowing #91 will be terrorizing quarterbacks this fall, this deal is really just kicking the can down the road. The Bengals weren’t willing to commit $30 million annually beyond 2023 – a reasonable position given their defensive holes elsewhere.
If Hendrickson repeats his dominant 2022 performance (or comes close), his market value might actually increase next offseason. Cincinnati’s front office clearly believes they need more than just one elite edge rusher to compete with Buffalo, Kansas City and the rest of the loaded AFC.
This isn’t 2021 anymore.
When the Chiefs made their temporary peace with Jones, they already had the secondary pieces and linebacker corps to complement him. Cincinnati’s defense, meanwhile, has significant weaknesses that even Hendrickson’s brilliance can’t mask.
The financial flexibility preserved by avoiding a long-term commitment now gives the front office options to address their defensive shortcomings throughout the season and next offseason. They’ve bought themselves time while keeping their best defensive player on the field.
With this drama finally in the rearview mirror, the pressure shifts squarely to Joe Burrow and the offense. Much like Patrick Mahomes last season, Burrow will need to elevate everyone around him and potentially win some shootouts. Because while Hendrickson can wreck a game plan, he can’t single-handedly transform this defense into an elite unit.
The Chiefs model worked in Kansas City. We’ll soon find out if the same blueprint can deliver Cincinnati its first Lombardi Trophy.