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UPDATE
According to NFL reporters Tom Pelissero and Jeremy Fowler, Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson suffered a stinger that does not appear to be a serious injury.
Hendrickson was forced from Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons with a neck injury. The team initially said he was questionable to return before he was ruled out late in the blowout win.
For now, it doesn’t appear Hendrickson will miss much time, but his status for Week 8 vs. the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football is very much up in the air.
Hopefully, that extra day of rest is enough for the stud pass-rusher to play in that critical AFC North matchup in primetime.
#Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson, who was ruled out today with a neck injury, suffered a bad stinger, per source. He’s had those in past and the hope is he’s back soon.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 24, 2022
#Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson is 'doing fine' coming off a neck injury that does not appear serious after initial evaluation, per source, but more testing/monitoring to come.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 24, 2022
The Cincinnati Bengals defense has been the crux of their success over the past few seasons. While Joe Burrow and company make the headlines, the defense has been a solid force and arguably the driving reason behind the team’s Super Bowl run last season.
It may need some help though as Trey Hendrickson went down with an injury against the Atlanta Falcons. DJ Reader, an All-Pro-caliber defensive tackle, has been out as well. Missing both could be a brutal blow for the team’s defensive line, especially with the run-heavy Cleveland Browns on deck.
Hendrickson left with a neck injury, and Zac Taylor, per Michelle Alfini, is still waiting to know more about the situation. The Bengals won 35-17.
Taylor says they’re still waiting for more information Trey Hendrickson and his injury.
— Michelle Alfini (@MichelleAlf) October 23, 2022
Hendrickson has been an absolute stud for Cincinnati since signing in free agency last offseason. He joined the Bengals in the 2021 offseason after finishing tied for the second-most sacks in the NFL in 2020, only behind Pittsburgh’s TJ Watt. Hendrickson had an impressive first season with the Bengals, totaling 14 sacks, the fifth most in the NFL.
So far this season, Hendrickson only has 3.5 sacks, but he did have 11 quarterback hits coming into Week 7. Meaning, he is getting pressure to the quarterbacks, and that’s almost just as impactful.
A loss of Hendrickson would be brutal, but the Bengals have some players that could and should step up like former third-round pick Joseph Ossai. Time will tell if he does have to miss a few games. I would expect that to be known in the near future as well.
Another name to watch for is versatile third-round rookie Zach Carter, who has already been playing more as of late.
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