Hendrickson hits free agency as Bengals skip franchise tag

The Bengals opted not to tag defensive end Trey Hendrickson by the NFL deadline, ending their contract saga and sending him into unrestricted free agency. The team had considered tagging or trading him, but the franchise tag would have cost about $30.2 million. Hendrickson, a 2024 sack leader who posted four sacks in seven games last season amid a core-muscle injury, publicly bid the organization farewell and will now pursue a long-term deal with a new team.