While Cincinnati partially addressed its pass-rushing depth by ending Stewart’s holdout, their first-round pick is already playing catch-up after missing most of the offseason work. The Bengals’ defense needs Hendrickson on the field in Week 1, and as of now, there’s a real possibility he’ll be sitting out games in September.

The Bengals star led the NFL in sacks in 2024. He wants a contract extension and has previously said he won't play in 2025 under the terms of the last year of his current deal.