No “respect” and “poor communication.” That’s the vibe around Joe Burrow‘s Cincinnati Bengals right now, at least when it comes to Trey Hendrickson. The 30-year-old star pass rusher is heading into the final year of his deal, set to make $15.8 million. And like any top-tier player, he’s hoping for something bigger. Something that reflects the kind of season he just had. We’re talking about the NFL’s sack leader. 17.5 sacks. First-team All-Pro. Yet, somehow, the Bengals aren’t biting.

According to NFL Network’s lan Rapoport, “the Bengals would like to keep and pay Trey Hendrickson.” But they’re not matching what Hendrickson’s looking for. And now things have started to heat up more!

As posted by NFL Rumors on X, “The Bengals reportedly are seeking a 1st round pick for Trey Hendrickson.” Not only that! Joe Burrow’s team is also asking for extra compensation in any trade for the DE. Now, that might be a tremendous demand!

This offseason, the Bengals let Trey Hendrickson seek a trade instead of paying him the money. But now, as they want a first-rounder and some other assets, teams are holding back, waiting for the price to drop. It’s a tough spot for the player and the franchise. So, what is stopping the teams from the trade?

Well, Trey Hendrickson’s value is real, but the point is that he will be 31 in December. That number makes teams pause, even if the talent doesn’t lie. Meanwhile, players like Myles Garrett are landing monster deals. And that only makes things harder for the Bengals. Hendrickson wants respect and fair pay, but the Bengals want a haul in return. Right now, both sides are stuck, and in the end, it’s seriously affecting the athlete.

Is Trey Hendrickson losing faith in the Bengals?

The last time the Bengals addressed Trey Hendrickson’s situation, their comments weren’t exactly reassuring. Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn spoke about the veteran during the NFL Annual Meetings, saying: “I think he should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn’t think he’d be happy at. I think some of it is on him to be happy at some point, and if he’s not, you know, that’s what holds it up sometimes. So, you know, it takes him to say yes to something.” And the future?

Blackburn added, “That said, we have all the respect in the world for him—he’s been a great player. We’re happy to have him, and maybe we’ll find a way to make something work. We’re just going to see where it goes.” This surprised Trey Hendrickson, who was hoping for a contract from Joe Burrow’s team – something worth his value.

But as Blackburn stated loud and clear, this definitely left the defensive player disappointed. During his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Hendrickson said, “First off, yesterday was April Fools’ [Day] so I was traded to all 31 teams and had like a hundred different contracts. The one thing I was hoping was an April Fools’ joke [was those comments]. Called my agent [Harold Lewis], found out it was not, and that was a little disappointing because the communication has been poor over the last couple of months.” Deep inside, he knows that ain’t a joke.

Rejecting Blackburn’s claims, Hendrickson informed that the Bengals haven’t contacted his agent directly about the contract. He said that it’s “frustrating” to hear such things and is now tired of the silence from them. In addition, he also claimed that the Bengals told him in a meeting last year that something would be done with his contract in the 2025 offseason. But nothing was finalized. And now, they have decided to move on from him.

Meanwhile, the Bengals have already locked in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on huge deals. They deserved that for sure. But Trey Hendrickson? Perhaps the franchise doesn’t see him worthy enough to give him money or even respect. Strange!