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Ben Baby
CINCINNATI — For the first time in this training camp, Trey Hendrickson was at practice with the Bengals.
Hendrickson officially ended his holdout Wednesday and was an active spectator during the morning’s practice. Wearing all-black Bengals attire, he stood near the defensive line for the bulk of the day, gave tips to younger players and observed from the sideline during team drills.
Hendrickson indicated he still doesn’t plan on participating until he receives a contract extension, but until that happens, he wants to be in the background as much as possible.
“There are plans on not having to play on the current deal,” Hendrickson said in front of his locker Friday. “That’s something we have a common goal to get to. That’s the plan moving forward. No distractions. I am excited to be here.”
Hendrickson said he had trained for 30 days in Cincinnati and had intentions of being around when the veterans reported for training camp on July 22. Without giving details, Hendrickson said things transpired right before camp that prompted him to return to Florida, where he lives.
On Wednesday, however, it felt almost like business as usual. He was in team meetings and among the first people in the building. At practice, he spent time chatting with rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart, who recently signed his rookie contract to end his own dispute.
Hendrickson is coming off his best season in the league. He led the NFL with 17.5 sacks and was named to the All-Pro team, in addition to being a Pro Bowl selection for the fourth straight year.
While the accolades are nice, what’s more important is the financial security and the guarantees that come with a new deal.
Bengals team president Mike Brown expressed optimism on July 21 that a deal will get done and said Hendrickson has merited a raise from the $16 million in cash he is set to earn this season.
While the platitudes are appreciated, Hendrickson is eyeing a bigger target ahead of a pivotal season for the franchise.
“For them to talk about me in high regard is a special thing,” Hendrickson said. “If you told me that when I was 18 years old that that would happen, my heart would be warm. Circumstantially, I’m more excited about getting something done.
“But as we continue to go through this process, I plan on handling it with respect to [coach] Zac Taylor, to the 2025 Bengals and not being a distraction.”
