ESPN’s Ben Baby provided an update from Bengals head coach Zac Taylor on Friday: “Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson remains week-to-week with his hip/pelvis injury, Zac Taylor said. Has missed the last four games.”

Joe Burrow is trending toward an imminent return from his toe injury, having not played since Week 2. Here's what kind of impact that will have on Cincinnati for the rest of the 2025 NFL season.

Explore the challenges Zac Taylor faces as Cincinnati Bengals struggle with the worst defense in the NFL this season.

Cincinnati Bengals Zac Taylor and the organization ultimately decided to not activate quarterback Joe Burrow for Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots. And the 26-20 final that came down to the final moments makes the decision sting all the more.

Despite missing All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, the Bengals found a way to get pressure. They had their second-highest pressure rate this season, getting to Lamar Jackson on 39.5% of his dropbacks. Joseph Ossai had two sacks and a team-high six pressures. Myles Murphy tied his season high with five pressures.

On the other side of every risk is, of course, reward. The Bengals were right next to midfield in a one-possession game in the final period. Keeping the ball, and the drive alive, increased the chance of the deficit shrinking or disappearing altogether.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor pushes back against the idea that players getting benched will fix tackling problems.