Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson is reportedly set to undergo core muscle surgery this week. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on Dec. 8 Hendrickson will be sidelined for six weeks following the surgery.Barring a historic collapse from the Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals will not be playing football in six weeks when the postseason begins. After losing to the Buffalo Bills in Week 14, Cincinnati’s chances of making the playoffs dropped to 3%, according to The Athletic playoff simulator, which means the days of Hendrickson suiting up in orange and black stripes are likely over.Trey Hendrickson contract situation with BengalsHendrickson and the Bengals were unable to come to an agreement on a long-term extension for two years in a row. When Hendrickson agreed to a $16 million pay bump ahead of the season to ensure he played this year in Cincinnati, it signaled the end was near.Players of Hendrickson’s caliber don’t typically play on expiring deals. Most times, if a franchise wants to keep a player they know will command a significant amount of money if they were to hit the free-agent market, they get the deal done prior to the final year of their contract.The Bengals and Hendrickson didn’t see eye to eye on long-term value. Hendrickson, 31 years old, wanted a multi-year commitment from the Bengals at a certain price tag.Cincinnati’s front office was unwilling to do so, and it’s why they agreed to a one-year raise and stopped negotiating.Hendrickson’s age, the drama that has ensued between the club and player and money are the main reasons why it seems unlikely the reigning NFL sack leader will play in Cincinnati next season.Negotiations became tense, and the relationship between Hendrickson and the Bengals was strained. Hendrickson publicly aired his frustrations with the Bengals on multiple occasions.Hendrickson opted to stay away from the Bengals during the voluntary offseason program and the first part of training camp. The situation became so hostile, Hendrickson called out Bengals coach Zac Taylor in an impromptu media session for his handling of a matter involving him reporting to mandatory minicamp or he would receive a hefty fine.Simply put, Hendrickson didn’t feel the Bengals valued him enough for all that he’s done in his career in Cincinnati.The Bengals had their reasons for not wanting to commit to Hendrickson. His age and the fear of being financially tied to a player over the age of 30 surely played a role in their decision.Typically, the Bengals stay away from guaranteeing any money after one year to players over 30 years old.It’s why it was always going to be an uphill battle for Hendrickson, arguably the franchise’s best free-agent signing, to get what he wanted in Cincinnati.Can Bengals apply franchise tag to Trey Hendrickson?Technically, the Bengals could place the franchise tag on Hendrickson ahead of free agency if they wanted him to play one more season for them. The Bengals have the right to do so if they want.But that scenario seems even more unlikely now than it did prior to the season because of Hendrickson’s injury and the lack of snaps he took with the team.The Bengals would likely have to pay Hendrickson north of $35 million for one season if they placed the franchise tag on him. That’s a lot of money to give a player at his age for just one season.If the Bengals were going to ever get a deal done with Hendrickson to ensure he stayed with the Bengals long-term, it would have already happened.Running it back one more time with Hendrickson instead of trading him in free agency or before the trade deadline was a decision the franchise made, and now they must live with the repercussions. They spent a lot of money on a player who only played seven games for them this season and turned down future draft capital when other teams were interested in trading for him.Bengals’ personnel moves prior to 2025 NFL seasonIt’s one of the many questionable choices the franchise made this offseason. Prior to the 2025 season, it was clear the Bengals were several players away from being a championship caliber unit on defense. They need all of the picks they can get as they will once again go back to the drawing board to overhaul the NFL’s worst defense.They chose to keep Hendrickson because they felt like he gave them the best chance to win this season. At 4-9 with four games to go, that decision can be put under the category of missed opportunities to set the team up for future success.Hendrickson played seven games and recorded four sacks for the Bengals prior to suffering the core injury.Hendrickson’s production has been unmatched by anyone else on defense, and he’s been one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. In five seasons with the Bengals, Hendrickson has logged 61 sacks.If Hendrickson has in fact played his final snap in Cincinnati, he will crack the franchise’s top 5 sack leader category.Here’s a look at where Hendrickson’s 61 sacks fall on this list:1. Eddie Edwards – 83.5 sacks (170 games)2. Carlos Dunlap – 82.5 sacks (155 games)3. Geno Atkins – 75.5 sacks (161 games)4. Reggie Williams – 63.5 sacks (206 games)5. Trey Hendrickson – 61 sacks (72 games)This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why surgery for Trey Hendrickson likely ends his career with Bengals