Overview

• ESPN’s Laura Rutledge reported Hendrickson and the Bengals agree on years and average annual value, but negotiations are stuck on multi‑year guaranteed money with no recent progress.
• Hendrickson is with the club but remains out of pads in a preseason hold‑in and, per the broadcast, is prepared to sit out if a deal is not reached.
• Cincinnati has been listening to offers, yet multiple reports say the team is seeking significant returns including high draft capital and a young defensive player, and no trade has been close.
• Cap constraints and timing before Week 1 complicate any deal, and the Patriots have assessed the market but view the current acquisition cost as too steep, according to reporting.
• Joe Burrow voiced optimism that negotiations could resolve closer to the opener, while Hendrickson’s leverage stems from back‑to‑back 17.5‑sack seasons and first‑team All‑Pro honors.