The Bengals have released veteran defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, per a team announcement. Rankins was an expected cap casualty after missing most of the 2024 season.
He signed with the Bengals on a two-year, $24.5MM deal last March and started the first two games of the regular season before suffering a hamstring injury that sidelined him for three games. He returned in Week 6 and started Cincinnati’s next five games before coming down with a viral illness ahead of Week 11.
Details of the illness were not disclosed during the season, but it was revealed by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that Rankins was battling viral meningitis. He was inactive for the next six games before landing on the non-football injury list to end the year. Rankins finished the season with 18 tackles (one for loss) and one sack, the latter being the lowest total of his career.
Cutting Rankins saves $9.6MM against the 2025 salary cap with $2MM in dead money, bringing the Bengals up to $62MM in salary cap space, per Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap. That will leave them with more than enough room to absorb an expected franchise tag for Tee Higgins and a lucrative extension for Ja’Marr Chase while still making much-needed improvements to their bottom-10 defense.
Teams will likely inquire about Rankins’ health before pursuing him in free agency. He joins a crowded defensive tackle market in which pass-rush upside will be prioritized.
The Texans were interested in re-signing Rankins last year after he recorded 6.0 sacks in Houston in 2023 and could renew their pursuit. He could also receive interest from the 49ers given his connection with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and the team’s need along the interior of their defensive line, according to the Bay Area News Group’s Cam Inman. Rankins played under new Bears DC Dennis Allen in New Orleans and could seek a reunion in Chicago.
However, the former first-round pick will be 31 when the 2025 season starts, likely putting him on the back end of his career. Rather than another multi-year contract, Rankins may have to accept a one-year deal to prove his health and rebuild his value this season.
62 mil is in now way going to be enough to sign Higgins, Chase and improve the defense
But you’re not taking into account the $21 million that Chase right now counts against the cap. Take that out and they have over $80 million to work with.
They have other overpriced players (ex: Alex Cappa) that they can cut as well to free up even more money.
Chase will want at least another 14-15 mil per year and I don’t see Higgins taking less than 30. 45 mil eaten up right there. Yep they can cut players and add cap space but you’re not going to have massive upgrades with what’s left.
So who plays guard in place of Cappa? Possibly Hendrickson? Maybe Higgins and Chase can play DB? When you cut someone to save cap, you gotta replace them and the Bengals don’t have a viable guard replacement. Same with Stone, Bell and Pratt. We’ve seen how the Bengals draft for defense so I wouldn’t put a ton of faith in them drafting a better replacement so if they go free agency, those guys most likely will cost more unless they strike gold
At 31, with an injury history like that, I’d be surprised if Poles would invest in Rankins..