Over the next few seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals are going to be in dire straits on two fronts. First, the salary cap is going to become an issue after massive contract extensions to quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase go into effect. Second, as much as a young team may cover it up, no one can escape father time and this young group from a few seasons ago is approaching the later years of their careers. Cincinnati is going to need to find answers to both of those problems with increasing urgency.
Cincinnati Bengals Star Defender Likely Entering Twilight of His Career
One massive spot on the roster where both of those dilemmas will be in effect will be with superstar defensive end Trey Hendrickson. The talented edge rusher made headlines a few weeks ago when he demanded a trade even though he has two more years on his contract. Even after he cooled on the issue, someone who would raise the alarm in peace time simply can’t be trusted to remain cool when his contract season comes around in 2025.
Even after you factor in how bizarre his recent theatrics were, the reality is that Hendrickson will be turning 30 this season. If you look at other talented defensive linemen from around the league such as former Ram Aaron Donald or Buffalo Bills star Von Miller, aging defensive linemen typically suffer colossal declines in form between the ages of 31 and 32. That means that even if Hendrickson wants to stay in Cincinnati, the team will need to figure out alternatives either this upcoming season or in 2025.
The Cincinnati Bengals Have an Obvious Solution to Their Problem
Over the past few seasons, Hendrickson has managed to dramatically outperform but this is a team that needs more raw talent on the defensive side of the ball. They made a big stride to amend that during the 2023 NFL Draft when the team brought in talented Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy to add to the pass rush.
Last season, Murphy was essentially a depth piece after he finished the season with just 3 sacks and 10 total tackles. To give the youngster credit, the team didn’t need him to contribute much with both Hendrickson and fan favorite Sam Hubbard claiming most of the snaps on the edges of the defensive line. That won’t be enough heading into 2024 as expectations on Murphy will skyrocket to new heights.
During the early days of Bengals training camp, there is a lot of discussion amongst fans that Murphy looks like a completely different player now than he did last year. The Clemson product looks like he’s put on a substantial amount of muscle while he also shows off some serious athleticism. The tweet below was taken showing off his impressive pop against a blocking dummy.
5. Defensive end Myles Murphy appears ready for a big jump in year two.
“There’s a difference between combine condition and football condition,” he said. “I was in great combine condition last year, but not in good football condition. Now I’m in really good football condition.” pic.twitter.com/oqk3tguvD3— Dan Hoard (@Dan_Hoard) May 14, 2024
“There’s a difference between combine condition and football condition,” Murphy said, according to Bengals radio announcer Dan Hoard. “I was in great combine condition last year, but not in good football condition. Now I’m in really good football condition.”
While most people may not understand the difference, collegiate athletes need to focus on simple athletic tests such as the 40-yard dash and the bench press during the offseason of their NFL Draft. That means that Murphy likely shed a good amount of his playing weight in order to maximize his speed profile but as he put it, he looks like a world class athlete right now and he is going to be a wrecking ball on this defense heading into his second season in Southwest Ohio.
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