Trey Hendrickson missed the Cincinnati Bengals’ Week 11 game against the Steelers on Sunday, and now we learn that he’s dealing with what used to be called a sports hernia, and is now known as a “core
muscle injury.” According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, the injury will require surgery, but Hendrickson is attempting to push that to the offseason.
Hendrickson pushed to play against the Jets, and the hit in the back he took early in the game, per Rapoport, may have extended the timeline for his return. The Bengals’ front office also considered putting the defending NFL sack leader on IR, however, it appears as if Hendrickson will be able to return possibly on a similar timeline as the team’s franchise quarterback, Joe Burrow.
Without Hendrickson, the Bengals’ defense has struggled to get to the opposing quarterback, which has led to breakdowns throughout the secondary. Shemar Stewart being placed on IR doesn’t help, but it wasn’t like Stewart was really making his presence known on the field before his injury.
After defeating the Steelers in Week 7, the Bengals had an opportunity to go into their bye week with a 5-4 record with the winless Jets and the Bears on the schedule. However, the defense allowed over 70 points in those two games, and the Bengals lost both.
Hopefully Al Golden figures out a way to put pressure on the passer over the next couple weeks while Hendrickson prepares for a healthy-ish return. If he can’t, it may not matter how many points the Bengals score.
