One could debate for a long time whether the Bengals will care at all about what the Steelers do with T.J. Watt or otherwise. The fact Hendrickson was permitted to seek a trade and couldn’t find one, though, continues to hint that the Bengals hold most of the leverage, regardless.

The Cincinnati Bengals and Trey Hendrickson have resumed communication in some fashion, but the longer the team waits to get a deal done with their star pass rusher, the more they risk making this deal an even greater expense than anticipated.