The Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers are in a troubling position. The teams have premiere pass rushers set to become free agents in 2026–Trey Hendrickson and TJ Watt. After the Cleveland Browns reset the edge market by extending Myles Garrett on a four-year $160 million deal, the Bengals and Steelers will have to shell out a lot of money. The Baltimore Ravens could not be happier.
The two 2026 free agents are at a similar stage of their career as Garrett. Both could reach the $40 million per year mark that he set back in March. Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have enough money to make their superstars happy, but the question is if and when they will do so.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network joined The Rich Eisen Show to discuss possible extensions. He highlighted Hendrickson and Watt as deals that need finalizing. As the division rivals look to lock down their defensive centerpieces, the market will quickly become competitive and expensive.
“If a 30-year-old TJ Watt suddenly gets over $40 million per year, doesn’t that naturally drive up the price for a guy who’s a very similar age in Trey Hendrickson, who led the league in sacks last season,” Pelissero said. “In other words, you would think that if any team were motivated to get something done, it would be [the Bengals]. It’s going to be harder and harder for some of these other deals, Parsons or TJ Watt in particular, to get done.”
The Bengals and Steelers are in a race to lock up their star pass rushers
The Bengals and Steelers rivalry may quickly become a front-office war. Each could drive up the price on the other if they see a future with their lead sack artist. While the Pro Bowlers deserve around the same amount as Garrett got, their teams will be looking to get the best contract possible for their future cap situation. Whoever gets the deal done first could increase the price for the other. However, maybe one team is not interested in bringing their All-Pro back.
Hendrickson is coming off the best season of his career. He led the NFL with 17.5 sacks, tying a career-high that he set in 2023, and was the only big star on Cincinnati’s defense. Reports have stated that he wants to stay a Bengal, but the team seems reluctant to offer him a new deal. It has been a struggle all offseason to pay the 30-year-old. There is a lack of commitment from the front office. If the Steelers get Watt locked in on a new extension first, that could be the nail in the coffin for Hendrickson’s time as a Bengal.
As for the Steelers, it sounds like the negotiations are heading in an encouraging direction. Both sides are eager to get a deal done. However, neither is in a rush. Watt is coming off only a decent year for his standards, totaling 11.5 sacks, but he is still one of the most dominant forces in the league. He has made a Pro Bowl for seven of the eight years of his career and the first-team All-Pro team in four. He is worthy of a Garrett-like contract, and unlike the Bengals, there is optimism that one will get done.
The Ravens also have pass rushers set to become free agents in 2026–Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh–though neither will cost the money of Hendrickson and Watt. They also have their rookie second-round edge rusher Mike Green, who is expected to be the future at the position. As the 2025 season draws closer, Baltimore’s AFC North rivals are going to have to fork up some lucrative contracts in order to satisfy their best players.