Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson still hasn’t agreed to a new contract despite months of ongoing public negotiations. The Bengals’ defense, which ranked among the league’s worst outside of Hendrickson’s standout year as the NFL’s 2024 sack leader, would benefit immensely from his return.

That’s what makes the recent release of linebacker Germaine Pratt, reported by Tom Pelissero, feel like a move directly tied to Hendrickson. Cutting Pratt frees up \$5.8 million in cap space, which could help fund Hendrickson’s expected extension—likely to match or approach the recent payday given to Browns star EDGE Myles Garrett.

This development spells trouble for the Detroit Lions if they were still eyeing Hendrickson as a splash addition for their defensive front. Aidan Hutchinson is already back with the team and participating in OTAs, which is an encouraging sign, but a second pass rusher would help manage his workload early in the season.

Hendrickson remains their ideal target—but after this latest Bengals cap-clearing move, the odds of him coming to Detroit are dwindling fast. It’s starting to look more like a fantasy than a realistic acquisition for the Lions at this point.

The Bengals, who’ve made plenty of negative headlines this offseason, could finally get something right by locking up Hendrickson long term. Without him, their defense loses its teeth—something that could waste the prime years of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins on the offensive side.

That’s a tough break for the Lions, who were considered one of the teams best positioned to offer an enticing trade package for Hendrickson. Instead, they seem focused on Marcus Davenport staying healthy, plus the addition of rookie Ahmed Hassanein as depth on the edge.

Ironically, the now-available Pratt could be a solid depth addition for Detroit, especially with recent injury updates surrounding Malcolm Rodriguez and questions about Alex Anzalone’s status heading into training camp.