"I'm hoping this is a sign": Bengals fans react as Trey Hendrickson breaks silence amid contract holdout

Trey Hendrickson's contract dispute with the Cincinnati Bengals is a topic of discussion among NFL fans going into camp. Months ago, the star defensive end said he would not play for the team this year until he reached an extension agreement to increase his salary from the $16 million he receives annually.

Hendrickson supported his claim by not showing up for the Bengals minicamp in June.

Even though Hendrickson is unlikely to attend the team's training camp, which is set to start after the team's veterans resume on July 22, he gave fans something to talk about on social media on Monday after posting what looks like a hype video.

The over three-minute-long video Hendrickson shared on Instagram instantly sparked hopes among Cincinnati fans that he would soon come to an agreement with the team and return to the building before the 2025 regular season.

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

Let's take a look at a number of selected comments under the post:

"I'm hoping this is a sign," one fan commented. "Need ya man," another fan said. "Cincy loves you Trey, no matter what happens," one other fan added.

Bengals fans react as Trey Hendrickson breaks silence amid contract holdout

The Bengals are a stronger team with Hendrickson on the roster. If the organization is serious about making a deep playoff run, it must find a way to sign its best defensive player, who also led the NFL in sacks last season.

It will be interesting to see if the Bengals and Hendrickson can reach a middle ground for an extension once camp starts or during the preseason. Huge fines and the unpleasant side of a contract dispute will soon begin to appear as the regular season draws near, which is something that both the team and the player will prefer to avoid.

NFL insider has given "unpredictable" verdict on Trey Hendrickson contract saga

Trey Hendrickson's future with the Cincinnati Bengals is still up in the air, as the ongoing contract dispute between the two parties has stoked trade rumors. Although the Bengals like to keep the four-time Pro Bowl player, a trade may be imminent if they are unable to reach an agreement during training camp.

NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated called the situation "unpredictable" in a new update he published on Monday.

"The Trey Hendrickson situation remains, I’d say, unpredictable," Breer said. "This is the third consecutive offseason that Cincinnati’s been here with a player who’s posted 35 sacks over the past two years. "He will turn 31 in December. He got a one-year Band-Aid of an extension in 2023 to make up for the COVID-19 discount the Bengals got on him in ’21, and no adjustment last year. So it seems pretty unlikely he’s going to be cutting the team any breaks."

It is expected that other teams would contact the Bengals to request a trade if a deal for the DE is not struck in August. From there, the team might be forced to consider discussing trade terms for their prized defender.

Edited by Ribin Peter