Overview
- Joe Burrow told reporters May 20 and 21 that Trey Hendrickson leaving for the Baltimore Ravens was “not very surprising,” expressed affection for the former teammate, and called Cincinnati’s current roster the most talented he has had.
- Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson signed with the Ravens in free agency and will now line up against the Bengals in two AFC North games this season, adding a personal wrinkle to those matchups.
- Cincinnati spent the offseason aggressively on defense, acquiring defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, signing veterans such as safety Bryan Cook, edge rusher Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen, and adding draft pick Cashius Howell to deepen the front seven.
- Reporting from WLWT and others says there have been no discussions this offseason about restructuring Burrow’s contract, leaving the team with limited cap flexibility after the defensive spending.
- Analysts warn that translating these additions into on-field defensive gains and keeping Burrow healthy will be decisive for the 2026 season and could determine whether the franchise makes major changes if the team misses the playoffs again.