Overview

• Hendrickson received a $14 million bump for 2025 to as much as $30 million with a $1 million incentive tied to 60% snaps and a playoff berth.
• ESPN reports the rework added a void year and raised his 2025 cap number by $3 million, with no provision blocking a future tag.
• The defensive end practiced Wednesday for the first time since last season, ending a hold-in that followed skipped OTAs and minicamp.
• Field Yates and Adam Schefter note the Bengals could apply a 2026 franchise tag projected at about $34.8 million.
• Hendrickson called the deal a compromise after seeking multi-year guarantees; reports say he declined a three-year, $95 million offer without Year 2 guarantees, and local outlets question the team’s appetite to commit beyond 2025 as analysts doubt a tag given 2026 cap pressures.