Picture this: Fourth quarter, AFC Championship, a heartbeat left. The quarterback drops back, the pocket collapses, and a lone defender slices through like a hot knife, sealing destiny with a game-winning sack. That’s the kind of impact Trey Hendrickson delivers. But right now? His own destiny feels suspended mid-play.

While Bengals locked down offensive fireworks Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this spring, their defensive maestro, the reigning NFL sack king with 17.5 QB takedowns just last season, finds himself in a tense contract standoff. It’s the offseason’s most gripping defensive drama – will the Bengals pay the piper, or will Hendrickson take his relentless pressure elsewhere?

As NFL.com’s Mike Patra noted, Cincinnati isn’t usually keen on trading its stars: “The Be

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