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The NFL’s leader in sacks may be playing on a new team next season. The Cincinnati Bengals have given edge rusher Trey Hendrickson permission to seek a trade, CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones confirms.

“It’s been an honor and privilege to represent Cincinnati over the last four years,” Hendrickson said, via ESPN. “I love this city and organization. I appreciate the privilege of now being allowed to explore my options.”

During his four years with Cincinnati, Hendrickson picked up 57 sacks, hitting double digits in three of his four years. He’s coming off a season where he racked up 17.5 sacks (3.5 more than anyone else in the entire league) and a career-high 36 quarterback hits. He was also named a First Team All-Pro and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. 

Hendrickson should have a significant market given his prodigious talent and age (he’ll turn 31 in December). Any team that trades for him will likely want to sign him to a contract extension, which would guarantee Hendrickson more money but likely also reduce his salary-cap hit for the 2025 season. 

Hendrickson signed a four-year, $60 million deal with the Bengals upon conclusion of his rookie deal with the New Orleans Saints, then signed a one-year extension covering the 2025 campaign. He’s headed into the final year of his contract and set to draw a base salary of $15.8 million while counting for $18.67 million against the Bengals’ salary cap. 

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If Cincinnati trades him, it will save $16 million on its books. Doing so could allow the Bengals enough breathing room over the next few years to finally get Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins signed to long-term deals, though obviously at a significant on-field cost to what was already one of the NFL’s worst defenses.