According to multiple reports, the Cincinnati Bengals will not use the franchise tag on Hendrickson, clearing the way for him to test the open market and potentially join his third NFL team.
The New Orleans Saints selected Hendrickson out of Florida Atlantic in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Over nine NFL seasons, he has built a reputation as a consistent pass-rush threat.
In 117 career games (88 starts), Hendrickson has totaled 236 tackles, 81 sacks, 16 passes defensed, and 15 forced fumbles.
Durability and age will factor into his market. Hendrickson is 31 years old, and any team pursuing him will weigh the risk of committing significant money on a multi-year deal.
According to Spotrac, Hendrickson's projected market value sits at approximately $25.4 million per year, and the salary cap tracking site believes he could land a two-year deal worth $50.9 million.
Hendrickson (6-4, 265) was limited to seven games in 2025 due to injury, recording four sacks—his lowest total since 2018. However, he entered last season coming off back-to-back 17.5-sack campaigns and has registered at least 13.5 sacks in four of the past six seasons.
When healthy, Hendrickson remains one of the NFL's most productive pass rushers.
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