Let's be honest. It's very easy to make up your mind immediately following the NFL Draft. It's a long, emotional weekend for the die-hards and, after the Cincinnati Bengals made the first-round move they did, reactions were going to come in aplenty.
Selecting a defensive end in the first round could mean just about anything at this point. Shemar Stewart joins a defensive line which features one of the league's best in Trey Hendrickson -- at least for now.
Some might have thought Stewart's arrival makes it easier for the Bengals to move on from Hendrickson after the offseason trade drama, and that would be a logical conclusion to come to.
But, what if the Bengals actually decided to keep Hendrickson after all was said and done? That'd be a tall task, assuming they can somehow get a new contract done with last year's league sack leader. Thus far, the Bengals have paid out a lot of money to players on the offensive side of the ball including Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Paying Trey Hendrickson after the 2025 NFL Draft isn't as crazy as it sounds
The Bengals' draft haul, this year, might actually allow for the team to pay Hendrickson long-term. How so? ESPN Bengals reporter Ben Baby chimes in:
"If second-round linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. supplants Germaine Pratt, who has already requested a trade, and third-rounder Dylan Fairchild starts over Cordell Volson at left guard, Pratt and Volson become more expendable."
That's a start. But, how does that impact the team financially? Baby went on.
"Cutting the two veterans would give Cincinnati $8.9 million in additional cap space for this season and more financial flexibility in 2025. Cincinnati currently has $23.3 million in cap space, per OverTheCap.com."
If the Bengals are able to accumulate over $30 million in total cap space, that should give them enough to get a deal done with Hendrickson in addition to paying the draft class, depending upon how the contracts are structured.
So, it's actually not that crazy. Cincinnati's plan could be coming together, and that would be massive news for Burrow and the offense, who are tired of carrying this team. Keeping Hendrickson and giving him a running mate like Stewart could mean big things for the defense in 2025.
