The vibe around a Trey Hendrickson trade for the Cincinnati Bengals has changed in a hurry. Not all that long ago, such an idea was a non-starter. Why trade the reigning NFL sack leader and only elite portion of a defense undergoing a dramatic rebuild?

The Bengals have several important contract decisions to make in the next month with wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins up for new deals as well. While Hendrickson is hopeful to remain a Bengal, it’s clear he doesn’t want his contract saga to become a distraction in the locker room.