Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson gets $24.8 million contract update after NFL Draft decision

The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Trey Hendrickson's heir apparent in the first round of the NFL Draft.

They took Shemar Stewart 17th overall last week.

Those in the know around the Bengals seem to think Cincinnati is viewing this as a Hendrickson mentorship opportunity.

Here's what ESPN beat writer Ben Baby wrote: 

"By drafting Stewart, Hendrickson's value not only includes his on-field production but the added benefit of showing Stewart how to be a productive NFL edge rusher and giving the Bengals a key defensive piece for upcoming years."

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Baby also spells out the way the Bengals could make Hendrickson happy very quickly.

Cincinnati could release Germaine Pratt ($5.3 million base pay) and Cordell Volson ($3.7 million base pay) to free up $9 million for Hendrickson.

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That would raise his season base salary to $24.8 million for 2025 if the Bengals wanted to give him that entire pool as a salary raise.

Hendrickson, who has 35 sacks across the past two seasons, is one of the best defensive ends in football.

And now, he's got the chance to mentor a rising star while possibly getting a raise in the process.

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