The Bengals are projected to enter the 2025 offseason with just under $50MM in cap space, per OverTheCap, the 11th-most in the NFL. Still, that might not be enough for the front office to accomplish all of their offseason goals.
The front office will be focused on re-signing wide receiver Tee Higgins and offensive lineman Cody Ford while shoring up a defense that ranked in the bottom 10 in points and yards allowed in 2024. An extension for Ja’Marr Chase is likely also in the works, so $50MM may not be enough for all of their offseason priorities. The Bengals have a few options to create some additional cap space, according to Paul Dehner of The Athletic, starting with two veterans in the trenches.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins struggled to anchor the interior of Cincinnati’s defensive line this season, making it unlikely the team will carry him at a $10.6MM cap hit. He played in just seven games before coming down with an undisclosed illness that sidelined him for the rest of the season. The Bengals can save $8.6MM by releasing Rankins, with a dead cap charge of just $2MM.
Offensive guard Alex Cappa played through an injury to start all 17 games in 2024, but struggled to protect the pocket for Joe Burrow. Cappa has been an iron man since signing with the Bengals in 2022, starting all but one regular season game with 3,319 total snaps, but he hasn’t played well enough to merit his $10.25MM cap charge in 2025. The Bengals can clear $8MM in cap savings by releasing him while absorbing a $2.25MM dead cap hit.
Dehner lists a handful of additional potential cap casualties, including linebacker Germaine Pratt, safety Geno Stone, and running back Zack Moss. One of the organization’s tougher decisions will surround the team’s longest-tenured player. Defensive end Sam Hubbard is attached to an $11.5MM cap hit in 2025, and the team would be left with only $2.5MM in dead cap by moving on from the veteran. Hubbard’s play has declined in recent years, but the edge rusher is still one of the most beloved players in franchise history. Because of his connection to the organization, Dehner wonders if the two sides may be able to find a common ground that reduces the player’s cap number and allows him to finish his career in Cincy.
As Dehner notes, Cincinnati Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn has drawn criticism for being reluctant to hand out guaranteed money beyond the first season of a contract. That’s already led to some degrees of tension with Higgins, Chase, and Jessie Bates. On the flip side, it’s also provided the front office with some easy outs on under-performing veterans like Rankins and Cappa. After the Bengals disappointed in 2024, the team could be eyeing a roster overhaul, and the team can unlock more wiggle room thanks to the creative structuring of their contracts.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.