As Trey Hendrickson’s contract dispute with the Cincinnati Bengals continues, Joe Burrow is once again standing up for his teammates. But one NFL analyst believes some of the weight falls right back on the quarterback’s shoulders.
Former Bengals wideout and current analyst Andrew Hawkins offered a direct assessment on ESPN Monday, saying to Burrow “some of this is on your shoulders” when it comes to the Bengals’ recent contract holdups.
“I don’t think so,” Hawkins said when asked if the Bengals were doing Burrow a disservice. “I think everyone’s had a hand in it. When you look at Joe Burrow — a top-five quarterback — there’s going to be holes in your team whenever you’re getting paid what you’re getting paid. More importantly, he made it very clear that he wanted his guys; he wanted Higgins and he wanted Chase. Get the deals done, I don’t care. So when that happens, now some of this is on your shoulders as well to make whatever the circumstances are… work.”
Hawkins isn’t criticizing Burrow, but he’s pointing out the obvious. You can’t sign two receivers to top-market deals and not expect sacrifices elsewhere. That’s how the salary cap works, and that’s how front offices have to operate.
Burrow Always Stands By His Guys, But There’s A Limit
Burrow, to his credit, has continued to support Hendrickson publicly. He did the same for Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins before their extensions got done. Burrow told reporters this offseason that Hendrickson “deserves to get paid,” and added that his value to the Bengals defense can’t be overstated.
“Burrow really doesn’t blame people behind the scenes. Front offices, coaching staff, other players, when it comes to football operation,” ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler said Monday.
“He puts it all on his shoulders. He says we have to get this done. But he does acknowledge that this is a distraction. That getting Hendrickson done is important. Now, Burrow has stumped publicly for Trey getting paid. He did the same for Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. And those guys got taken care of. So still the hope for the Bengals’ blueprint is that Hendrickson is that third star that they pay.”
Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks last year with 17.5 and has totaled 57 sacks since joining the Bengals in 2021. That’s third-most in the league over that span.
Still, his contract remains a sticking point. Hendrickson is entering the final year of his deal with no guaranteed money left. He’s set to make $15.8 million this season, but the Bengals reportedly offered a new deal worth $28 million annually — without clarity on guarantees beyond year one. That’s been a long-standing issue with how the Bengals structure contracts.
Bengals’ New Contract Approach
Cincinnati finally broke precedent to lock up Burrow, Chase, and Higgins with guarantees into future years. But it looks like they’re hesitant to extend the same flexibility to a 30-year-old defensive star — even one playing at an All-Pro level.
As of now, Hendrickson has gone public with his frustrations, and Burrow has continued to push for a resolution. But with rookie first-rounder Shemar Stewart also in a contract standoff, it’s clear the Bengals aren’t fully out of their old habits just yet.
The reality is, Burrow got his guys paid on offense, and now the roster strain is showing elsewhere. That’s not a knock — it’s part of the business.
