Tuesday marked the start of the Cincinnati Bengals mandatory minicamp, and as expected, Trey Hendrickson did not attend. The star defensive end in the final year of his contract is sitting out – and facing more than $100,000 in fines – as he wants a new contract.
With the chances of Hendrickson missing training camp getting more likely, BetOhio.com, where you can find the best Ohio sports betting promo codes, has adjusted our odds on whose uniform Hendrickson will wear starting the season. These odds are for infotainment purposes; you will not find them at any licensed Ohio sportsbook.
Team |
Odds |
Percentage Chance |
Detroit Lions |
+350 |
22.2% |
Green Bay Packers |
+500 |
16.7% |
Washington Commanders |
+600 |
14.3% |
Buffalo Bills |
+650 |
13.3% |
Indianapolis Colts |
+1050 |
8.7% |
Arizona Cardinals |
+2000 |
4.8% |
The Field/Stay With Cincinnati Bengals |
+400 |
20.0% |
There has been little movement from either the team or Hendrickson over the past few weeks, and the 30-year-old All Pro rusher has said he will not play until he gets a new deal that gives him a significant raise from his current $16 million-a-year agreement.
These odds are exclusive to BetOhio.com, but Ohio sports betting operators already have futures odds for the 2025-26 NFL season posted.
In our new rankings, the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers switch spots, with the Lions rising to the top at +350 odds. Both teams need a rusher, but the question becomes whether either team – or any other team –can muster the trade pieces to make Cincinnati agree to a trade. For the time being, it appears the Bengals front office remains adamant on getting a first-round pick in return.
The relationship between the Bengals and Hendrickson might not be copacetic, but there’s still a good chance the two sides will agree to a deal. That said, there’s another possible sticking point, and it involves one of Cincinnati’s most bitter rivals.
The Pittsburgh Steelers also have a holdout from their mandatory workouts as defensive end T.J. Watt is also entering the final year of his current contract. Watt has said he wants a new deal with money similar to what Myles Garrett, who recently signed a $40 million-a-year pact with Cleveland, will make with the Browns. If Pittsburgh acquiesces to its star linebacker, then it would put additional pressure on the Bengals to make a move with Hendrickson.
g Hendrickson could shorten the Bengals’ Super Bowl odds. Oddsmakers at Fanatics Ohio Sportsbook have priced the AFC North squad at +1800 on its Super Bowl futures board. Only five teams have shorter odds.
Depending on how it’s structured, a $28 million contract could be considered a fair offer for Hendrickson, who is set to make $16 million in 2025. It’s not as much as Garrett’s deal, nor the $35 million a year the Las Vegas Raiders agreed to pay Maxx Crosby. However, both Garrett (who turns 30 on Dec. 31) and Crosby (who turns 28 on Aug. 22) are younger than Hendrickson (who turns 31 on Dec. 5).
It might seem trivial that a year can make that big of a difference, but as data from ProFootballReference.com shows, players 31 or older have ed 10 or more sacks only 65 times since 2000 – and 10 sacks would be a 43% drop in production for Hendrickson. Only 10 times over that span has a player 31 or older reached 14 sacks.
Hendrickson has told the media he will sit out if the Bengals cannot trade him or give him a contract that he wants. It’s a risky venture, considering the fines for missing training camps and games are steep.
Plus, he’d need to return to the team at some point to get on the roster and earn the six games of active, inactive, injured or physically unable to play status to become a free agent in the offseason. That, though, could lead the Bengals to place a franchise tag on him for next season.
Anyone backing Cincinnati Bengals Super Bowl odds in the past two years could tear up their tickets early. The team has had back-to-back 9-8 seasons, missing the playoffs in both, after making the Super Bowl in 2021 and the AFC Championship the following year.
So 2025 could be an all-or-nothing season for the Bengals. Yes, Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins all have long-term deals in place, and the offense should continue to operate at a high level. But without improvements on defense, it’s unlikely that the Bengals can be anything better than a dark horse contender.
As of June 11, bet365 Ohio Sportsbook has the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles as the favorites to win Super Bowl 60 in February 2026, at +650 odds. Cincy’s division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, are tied for second at +700 alongside the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
USA Today Network photo by Albert Cesare/The Enquirer
Author
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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