If you thought the Pittsburgh Steelers had it rough dealing with T.J. Watt's contract situation, it's nothing compared to the fiasco with the Cincinnati Bengals. Just a week before training camp, we learned that first-round pick Shemar Stewart is back practicing at Texas A&M and doesn't plan to show up to Bengals training camp. Meanwhile, Trey Hendrickson continues to subtly share his frustration with the organization.
Recently, Hendrickson took to Instagram to share a video of all 17.5 sacks he collected from the 2024 season. This was the second season in a row that the All-Pro edge rusher had accomplished such a feat.
This hype video no doubt has to do with the Bengals' refusal to pay their star defender what he's seeking in a new deal. After leading the league in sacks collectively over the past two seasons, Hendrickson is set to enter the final year of his contract, which ranks him outside the top 10 edge rushers in earnings.
Furthermore, Hendrickson hasn't had a penny in guaranteed salary since 2023, and a season-ending injury in 2025 would result in a loss of game checks from his meager $15.8 million base salary this season.
The reason Hendrickson is refusing to show up couldn't be simpler: he wants to get paid what he deserves. Over the past six months alone, three NFL edge rushers have earned deals north of $35 million per season. Hendrickson, meanwhile, isn't anywhere close to this figure.
The Pittsburgh Steelers can't treat T.J. Watt like the Cincinnati Bengals are treating Trey Hendrickson
As the Cincinnati Bengals continue to tarnish their relationship with their best defensive player, Omar Khan and the Pittsburgh Steelers' front office need to be learning a valuable lesson: they can't treat T.J. Watt the way that the Bengals have mistreated Trey Hendrickson.
It's not our place to determine what NFL players are worth on new contract extensions, but the money is market money is fairly easy to figure out. Players with less production are earning significantly more money at the position than Hendrickson, and that's not going to fly. The Steelers can't expect Watt to take a team-friendly deal either.
Though Watt wants to remain in Pittsburgh, this comes with the assumption that the Steelers will pay him market value, which, unfortunately, is upwards of $40 million per season with guaranteed money similar to what Myles Garrett earned this offseason on his new deal.
Yes, it's likely the Steelers are going to overpay Watt based on past production, but what's the alternative? Does Watt end up resenting his current team, refusing to practice, and considering holding out early in the season?
While Watt may not be the elite player he once was, this is still a star-driven league, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are attempting to capitalize on a rapidly closing window with aging players like Aaron Rodgers, Cam Heyward, Darius Slay, and Jalen Ramsey. They need T.J. Watt now more than ever, and they can't let this evolve into the next Trey Hendrickson situation.