Teams in need of a pass-rusher ahead of the NFL trade deadline can pretty much forget calling the Cincinnati Bengals about Trey Hendrickson.
At a very basic level, Hendrickson looks like a trade candidate because of his messy back-and-forth with the Bengals over the last few years.
But with the Bengals still very much alive in the AFC playoff race and Joe Burrow apparently on track for a mid-December return, Hendrickson will very much not be available.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport cemented these ideas on Friday after the team’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, saying that he expects Cincinnati’s trade asking price to be about the same as it would’ve been this past offseason.
Meaning, a high-value draft pick and a starter.
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And even if a team did offer that massive price, it’s hard to imagine the Bengals would entertain it for long.
The pass-rush without Hendrickson on Thursday night was a disaster. Concerningly so, to the point it’s worth wondering if the Bengals should be buyers at the deadline for help.
There’s also not a no-tag clause on Hedrickson’s reworked deal, so the Bengals continue to hold all the leverage going into next offseason. They won’t want to give that up regardless, but especially not with the team still alive.
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This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Needy trade deadline teams can forget Bengals and Trey Hendrickson
