The last major question facing the Cincinnati Bengals heading into a crucial 2025 season was answered Monday afternoon when the team announced a new deal with All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.
In the end, the 30-year-old who led the NFL in sacks last season did not get the extension he sought. However, the team agreed to revise the final year of his current deal, and that means Hendrickson will make $30 million. That’s nearly double what he was set to make and puts his salary near the league’s other premier defensive ends and edge rushers.
This means Hendrickson will become a free agent at the end of the 2025 season, so BetOhio.com – your source for all things related to Ohio sports betting – is updating its odds to determine where Hendrickson will play in 2026.
Team | Odds | Percentage Chance |
Stay with Cincinnati Bengals | -250 | 71.4% |
Carolina Panthers | +1300 | 7.1% |
Indianapolis Colts | +1400 | 6.7% |
Detroit Lions | +1650 | 5.7% |
Green Bay Packers | +1850 | 5.1% |
The Field | +2400 | 4.0% |
A reminder that these odds are exclusive to BetOhio. You won’t find these at any licensed sports betting operator offering Ohio sportsbook promotions.
Getting a deal done at this juncture of the preseason wasn’t necessarily a shock. While Hendrickson staged a sit-in, meaning he attended the Bengals’ preseason camps to avoid costly fines but did not participate in drills, he also remained in shape. That way, he’d be ready to go once a deal was reached.
The Bengals also weren’t as concerned about Hendrickson missing preseason games. As with many veterans who see little to no time on the field in August, playing in the preseason would have enhanced his chance of suffering a serious injury that would have really impacted Cincinnati Bengals playoff chances of getting back into the playoffs after the team missed out the past two seasons.
As with most negotiations, both sides gave a little to get a deal done. The Bengals, who had made revising Hendrickson’s contract a priority after getting extensions with star receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins completed back in March, were willing to offer their premier defensive end a substantial raise.
However, they did not want to give him the guaranteed money other teams gave their star defensive players, like the Cleveland Browns did with Myles Garrett. That means if Hendrickson can duplicate or come close to his past two seasons, both of which saw him total 17.5 sacks, he could parlay that into a lucrative long-term deal next spring.
That said, the Bengals still hold several cards that could keep Hendrickson in Cincinnati. Should he produce another All-Pro quality season, the team could put a franchise tag on him. If that happens, that would put Hendrickson’s 2026 salary at at least $36 million, depending on how the tag would be used. That’s a similar tactic the team took with Higgins before reaching a four-year, $115 million deal.
Monday’s news didn’t really change much for oddsmakers, who still consider the Bengals one of the top teams in the AFC.
Oddsmakers at Fanatics Ohio Sportsbook list Cincinnati’s odds of winning the Super Bowl at +2200. Those are the fourth shortest among AFC teams, but 10th overall. BetMGM’s odds on the Bengals making the playoffs this season are -145, which equate to an implied probability of 59.2%.
At bet365, Hendrickson’s projected sack total is set at 12.5, with the under a slight favorite (-115) to the over (-105). Data shows that few pass rushers produce at Hendrickson’s level after age 30. In the past 10 seasons, only two players – Robert Quinn with the Chicago Bears in 2021 and Khalil Mack with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023 – registered 17 or more sacks after age 30.
Caesars Ohio Sportsbook gives Hendrickson odds of +2500 to win the Defensive Player of the Year award this season. That is tied for the 10th shortest on that board.
USA Today Network photo by Albert Cesare/The Enquirer
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Steve is an accomplished, award-winning reporter with more than 20 years of experience covering gaming, sports, politics and business. He has written for the Associated Press, Reuters, The Louisville Courier Journal, The Center Square and numerous other publications. Based in Louisville, Ky., Steve has covered the expansion of sports betting in the U.S. and other gaming matters.
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