NFL Network's Tom Pelissero: "This is about the Bengals' longstanding policy that they don't guarantee money beyond Year 1."

Reports have indicated that the Bengals don't want to guarantee multiple years of money on Hendrickson's deal, a standard operating procedure in Cincinnati, except when they make exceptions like Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase. Star defensive ends elsewhere in the league have usually gotten three years of guaranteed money.