Trey Hendrickson Details 'Disappointing' Texts Sent From Bengals Coach Zac Taylor Amid Contract Talks

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson was present at the team's offseason workouts on Tuesday, but he wasn't there to participate in the on-field activities. Instead, he was there to air his grievances about the Bengals, specifically about coach Zac Taylor, amid his contract extension discussions this offseason.

Hendrickson put a public statement out on Monday detailing how there's been no communication between him and the Bengals since the NFL draft a few weeks ago, despite what some reports have said.

On Tuesday, he explained how text messages from Taylor telling him that he will be fined if he doesn't attend mandatory minicamp are what prompted the statement in the first place. He doesn't want to stay quiet during this situation.

“A little bit transpired between me and Zac. We’ve tried to keep it as least amount as personal as possible, but at some point in this process it becomes personal," Hendrickson said, via CLNS Cincinnati. "Being sent 30 days before mandatory camp or how many ever days it is that if I don’t show up I will be fined alludes to the fact that something won’t get done in that time frame. The lack of communication post-draft made it imminently clear to my party—meaning my wife, my son and my agent, a small group of people—that I had informed that this might not work out. I don’t think it was necessary. I think we should have all hoped for the best until proven otherwise.

"Other things have transpired, like the importance of me being here in OTAs doesn’t seem to be respected. I think I’ve carried a lot of respect. I don’t mean to insinuate anything about anyone’s character, but that was disappointing. I think that was the word of the offseason.”

Hendrickson didn't explicitly say his plan for OTAs once those begin next month. He thought Taylor's text on Monday came a bit prematurely.

"I don’t have a predictive analysis,” Hendrickson said, via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “I’ve been hoping for the best through the entire process. The only thing that alluded to fines was the text I got yesterday from Zac. I thought this was a little early to talk about fines personally with how I’ve conducted myself. I’m incredibly humbled to talk about a potential extension. That’s the part that’s disappointing. Hard work works. I’m a firm believer in that. It’s disappointing.”

It's been quite a journey for Hendrickson this offseason. First off, he was granted permission to seek a trade at the beginning of March while he was seeking a contract extension, which he still is. Cincinnati then signed receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to big new deals while these two players, along with Hendrickson were often grouped together as stars the Bengals all wanted to keep. Hendrickson has repeatedly referenced the lack of communication from the Bengals side of things regarding an extension for him.

Regardless of what's happened this offseason, Hendrickson sounds like he still wants to call Cincinnati home if the Bengals can offer him an extension that he likes.