Trey Hendrickson’s contract situation has gotten plenty of attention in recent months.
From the Bengals giving him permission to seek a trade, to Hendrickson surprising everyone and showing up for one of Cincinnati’s offseason practices, his future has been a hot topic.
Will the Bengals sign him to a new deal before the start of the 2025 season?
Vice president JD Vance weighed in on the star pass rusher during an appearance on the This Past Weekend Podcast With Theo Von.
“Hendrickson is worth it, dude. He’s a generational talent,” Vance said. “It’s very hard to get a guy like that. It’s kind of crazy how, like, I’m a big football fan, but edge rushers have become … It’s almost like where left tackles were 10 or 15 years ago, where everybody just realized there’s this really underpaid position that you gotta have. And so, yeah, I think we’re [the Bengals] gonna have to pay Hendrickson.”
Vance grew up roughly 37 miles from Paycor Stadium in Middletown. The 40-year-old remembers the bad times of the 1990s and he’s hoping that Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Hendrickson can bring a Lombardi Trophy to Cincinnati in the near future.
“I hope so. Here’s what I’ll say to Trey, if you’re watching this show. If you’re a Republican, I will show up to a Bengals game and take a photo with you if you sign on with the Bengals,” Vance said. “And if you’re a Democrat, I’ll stay the hell away. Just sign with the Bengals because we got a chance, man. I say this every year, but with Burrow, with Ja’Marr Chase, if we get our defense and our offensive line, we could have a true championship run.”
Vance clearly was Hendrickson in stripes this season and beyond. The Bengals’ star pass rusher is scheduled to make $16 million in base salary this year. He’s hoping to sign a multi-year contract extension with the team this offseason.
Check out the clip of Vance and watch the entire podcast below:
