“If it’s something that helps the Bengals win the Super Bowl, if they get picks or anything like that, I want to help win a Super Bowl for Cincinnati,” Hendrickson said last month on an episode of The Pat McAfee Show. “Whether I’m there or not.”

The league’s leader in sacks last season, Hendrickson joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021 after being drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 2017 as a third-round pick. Since coming to Cincy, Hendrickson has been elected to four straight Pro Bowls and has recorded 57 sacks.

This is a dumb decision

What the hell are the Bengals doing? Their defense was already pretty bad last season. So, they’re going to make the unit better by getting rid of their best pass-rusher? I call bull sh*t on that.

Last month, the Bengals cut defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins. That was a cap casualty decision that Cincy needed to make in order to sign free agents and re-sign players. Two days ago, another Cincy defensive lineman – Sam Hubbard – announced his retirement. Now, the Bengals are giving their best defender permission to play for another team.

Did the Bengals watch Super Bowl LIX? Did they not see how important it is to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks with only four pass rushers? That’s one of the biggest reasons the Eagles won the Super Bowl. So, Cincinnati will try to replicate that defensive gameplan in the AFC – where they’ll inevitably have to face Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs – by losing their three best defensive linemen. That is a recipe for failure.

This is incredibly short-sighted. They’re probably making this move because they want to clear out enough cap space to re-sign Higgins and Chase to long-term extensions. I’m all for signing Chase, but sacrificing your best defensive player so that you can sign a good number-two receiver is DUMB.

This move also alienates their star quarterback. After the 2025 Super Bowl, Joe Burrow said that the Bengals should be more proactive and pay their players like the Eagles do. Instead of listening to its franchise star, Cincinnati is doing the exact opposite of what he requested. Again, DUMB!

I cannot emphasize enough how bad of a decision this is by the Bengals. I am certain that they will come to regret this choice when they once again fail to make the playoffs due to their defensive ineptitude.