Hendrickson says he won't play under current deal

Trey Hendrickson held firm on his position on Tuesday.

The Cincinnati Bengals defensive end attended team practice where he spoke to local media and said that he will not play under his current contract. The 2024 sacks leader with 17.5, Hendrickson was in street clothes and did not participate in any drills.

Hendrickson, 30, is entering the final season of his current deal that will pay him $15.8 million. He was given permission to seek a trade earlier in the offseason, but said that he not spoken with the team since the draft.

The native of Orlando says that the impasse is not personal.

"I can't control the narratives," Hendrickson said. "I think that's one thing I've found throughout this whole process is the way I feel is not being conveyed, right? I definitely am disappointed. I definitely love Cincinnati. So it's just this weird dilemma, right? And I think players go through it a lot more often. I'm just not going to let fear overtake me to do something...I'm a football player and I want to play football."

A product of Florida Atlantic, Hendrickson spent the first four seasons of his career with the New Orleans Saints who took him with the 103rd overall selection of the 2017 NFL Draft. Signing with the Bengals ahead of the 2021 season, Hendrickson has been a Pro Bowler in all four seasons with Cincinnati.

Hendrickson wouldn't classify the relationship with the team as irreparable.

"I think every relationship is repairable," Hendrickson said. "I think [Cleveland Browns defensive end] Myles Garrett proved that [by signing a new deal following a trade request].He's a great man and he's done great things for his family, providing on and off the football field for his family. He's tremendous. But I think that relationship will repair with time and same with this. This is just the uncomfortable side that we've unfortunately had to deal with for the past couple of years and, quite frankly, I think we're all spent."

The team's mandatory mini-camp is set to begin on June 10. Hendrickson said that head coach Zac Taylor communicated with him via text that he will be fined should he fail to attend.