When asked about using the franchise tag on EDGE Trey Hendrickson, Bengals executive Duke Tobin said, “I don’t throw anything on or off the table with Trey.”

25 February 2026

The Bengals and Hendrickson have been in contentious contract talks for a while with all options still on the table, according to director of player personnel and de facto general manager Duke Tobin. The franchise tag is still a possibility and the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway reported last week the Bengals will get a feel for the 31-year-old’s market at this week’s NFL Combine. The tag would guarantee $30.2 million to Hendrickson in 2026, making it difficult to afford for the Bengals. However, the team still won’t publicly deny the franchise tag as an option, likely in an effort to generate value in possible trade scenarios.