Trey Hendrickson is off to a hot start in 2023

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson signed a contract extension this off-season, and Bengals fans all over celebrated.

Since signing with the Bengals in 2021, Hendrickson has been a key piece to a defense that has been the strength of the team, despite being loaded with offensive weapons.

You know how sometimes, you’ll hear about a player getting a big contract and maybe getting lazy?

Not Hendrickson. As was on display Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams, Hendrickson should be mentioned among the premier pass rushers in the NFL.

Hendrickson just wouldn’t leave poor Matthew Stafford alone. Seemingly every snap, Hendrickson was either hitting Stafford or pressuring him, leading to errant throws. One of those pressures resulted in a Logan Wilson interception.

It wasn’t just Monday, though. Hendrickson is off to a very hot start in 2023.

A simple breakdown of the graph shows that Myles Garrett might be an alien, but it also shows that Hendrickson is performing close to the same level as Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons. It is always fun to note that his performance is better than that of division rival T.J. Watt.

As the Bengal defense appears to be rounding back into the form we’ve come to expect over the last two seasons, Hendrickson will likely be the catalyst for it. That is in line with his first two seasons in Cincinnati and he shows no signs of slowing down.

Hendrickson seems to shine just a bit brighter when the lights are on, but at this rate, you’ll be hearing his number called all season long.