With the NFL franchise tag deadline passing on Tuesday, several players are now headed for free agency.
One of them is Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. The Bengals decided not to use the tag on Hendrickson this time around, meaning he is an unrestricted free agent.
After the decision by Cincinnati, Hendrickson took to Instagram to pen a lengthy, heartfelt message to the Bengals and the fans.
Hendrickson’s message included thanks to the organization, teammates, coaches, staff and the fans.
Hendrickson’s future with Cincinnati was up in the air, although a report at the beginning of February suggested that the Bengals could still use the franchise tag on the star edge rusher.
Hendrickson held out last summer in hopes of a new deal, but the Bengals decided then to increase his salary from $14 million to $30 million.
However, Hendrickson played just seven games in 2025 due to injury, although he had back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons before that.
Some other NFL players who did not receive the franchise tag designation include Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne and Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum.
This year’s NFL free agency negotiation window opens at noon ET on March 9, but the new league year begins on March 11, and that is when players can officially sign new contracts.
With Hendrickson a free agent, he should have a strong market, even after an injury-riddled season.
