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Cincinnati Bengals News & Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/24

August 7th, 2024 at 7:38pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Claimed off waivers (from Commanders): TE Armani Rogers
  • Waived: WR Shaq Davis

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

The Packers apparently felt it necessary to add another competitor to their position battle at kicker today, signing Hale out of Oklahoma State. The former walk-on from Australia hit on 43 of his 54 field goal attempts as a Cowboy in Stillwater.

Following the retirement of Tarik Cohen, the Jets opted to sign Jackson. The former Colts rusher had some big moments in 2022 while filling in for an injured Jonathan Taylor. He and Vaughn were both participants in a recent workout with the Texans, but Cam Akers walked away from that day with the job.

Lastly, Owens’, son of NFL legend Terrell Owens, time with one of his father’s former teams has come to an end. His pedigree may have assisted in landing an opportunity as an undrafted free agent in San Francisco, but he was unable to stay rostered throughout camp.

Bengals, K Evan McPherson Discussing Extension

August 7th, 2024 at 2:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

A monster extension for Ja’Marr Chase may not be worked out this offseason, but the Bengals could finish another set of negotiations before the start of the 2024 campaign. Kicker Evan McPherson recently confirmed contract talks are ongoing as he prepares for the final year of his rookie contract.

[RELATED: Recapping Bengals’ Offseason]

“We’re just still grinding everything out,” the 25-year-old said (via Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network) “and we’ll see if we can get something done. If it happens right now, great, I’m happy. But if it doesn’t, I’m even more happy. I’m just gonna go out there and perform the same either way.”

The Bengals made it clear a new deal for McPherson was among the team’s top priorities, so it comes as little surprise talks are ongoing. The former fifth-rounder has been consistent for Cincinnati to date, ranging between 82.8% and 84.8% with respect to field goal accuracy. McPherson has connected on 21 attempts of 50 yards or longer, comfortably the most in a kicker’s first three seasons since 1970.

As a result, the Florida alum has set himself up to become one of the league’s highest-paid kickers. The AFC North already features three of the top earners at the position. Justin Tucker (Ravens), Dustin Hopkins (Browns), and Chris Boswell (Steelers) are among the kickers averaging at least $5MM per season on their current deals. McPherson will likely join them in that regard once his extension is in place, although he noted he does not know if an agreement will be finalized before Week 1.

The top of the kicking market was reset earlier this week when Harrison Butker inked a deal which will keep him in Kansas City through 2028. His extension carries an AAV of $6.4MM and includes $17.75MM in guarantees. McPherson will be hard-pressed to match those figures on a new Bengals pact, but he can nevertheless be expected to secure a signficant raise if negotiations breed progress on an extension.

Bengals DE Cameron Sample Suffers Torn Achilles

August 5th, 2024 at 1:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

Cameron Sample will be sidelined for the entire 2024 season. The fourth-year Bengals defensive end has suffered an Achilles tear, head coach Zac Taylor confirmed on Monday.

[RELATED: Recapping Bengals’ Offseason]

The injury occurred during Friday’s practice, and Sample was carted off the field. Today’s news means he will be unavailable for the campaign, something of particular importance for his financial future. Sample, 25 in September, is a pending free agent. This injury will no doubt hurt his market value.

The former fourth-round pick has been a regular on defense during his Cincinnati tenure, making 47 appearances in the regular season and another six in the playoffs. Sample has only made three starts in that time, but his absence will still be felt along the edge for the Bengals. The Tulane alum has collected 58 tackles and five sacks while maintaining a steady snap share in each of the past three years.

The Bengals will move forward with Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard as starters along the edge. Sample’s injury will leave the team relying more heavily on the likes of Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy. The former has struggled to stay healthy and productive in the NFL so far, but he is confident in a breakout campaign in 2024, the final year of his rookie contract. The latter, meanwhile, will look to build off his three-sack debut Cincinnati campaign from last season.

The remainder of training camp along with the preseason will provide players like 2022 seventh-rounder Jeff Gunter, sixth-round rookie Cedric Johnson and UDFA Justin Blazek with the opportunity to land a roster spot in Sample’s absence. If Cincinnati deems a late-summer free agent addition to be necessary, the team has over $19MM in cap space to work with. Yannick Ngakoue, Carl Lawson and Charles Harris are among the top veterans still on the market.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/4/24

August 4th, 2024 at 5:53pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions to close out the weekend:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Jacksonville Jaguars

Washington Commanders

The Browns were looking forward to stashing Allen’s starting experience as a reserve lineman on the interior. Unfortunately, he suffered a calf injury that ended his season before it even began. Only on a one-year contract anyway, Allen will now get a head start on the free agency he would’ve faced at the end of this season.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson will not be coaching his son, Josh, this season, it appears. The 26-year-old tight end appeared in three games under his father in 2023.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/24

July 28th, 2024 at 5:30pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves to close out the weekend:

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Activated from active/NFI list: TE Erick All

Dallas Cowboys

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Thuney has been working his way back from a pectoral injury. After suffering the strain in a Divisional Round win over the Bills, the injury held Thuney out of the team’s final two wins over the Ravens and 49ers. Having passed his physical, Thuney will return to practice in order to take the next steps on his way back to the field.

The Giants weren’t the only team to submit a waiver claim for Rourke as he continues to try and turn his success in the Canadian Football League into an NFL opportunity. Now, after being buried on the depth chart behind Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito, Rourke is able to look elsewhere for that chance at playing time in the NFL.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/24

July 26th, 2024 at 6:46pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves to wrap up the week:

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Activated from active/NFI list: WR Shaquan Davis

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Blair reunites with the Seahawks after two years away. A former second-round pick for Seattle, Blair spent parts of 2022 with the Panthers and Eagles before spending last year out with an Achilles tear.

Cannella, who formerly went by Sal, played for the Arlington Renegades of the UFL earlier this year, leading the league with six receiving touchdowns and finishing first among tight ends with 53 catches and 497 yards. He’s been in an out of the NFL with stints in the USFL and XFL before; the Bucs are hoping this time will stick.

Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase Seeking Extension, Not Participating In Practice

July 25th, 2024 at 9:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

By virtue of picking up Ja’Marr Chase‘s fifth-year option, the Bengals have their top wide receiver tied to his rookie contract for two more seasons. Coming into this offseason, no team in the option era had extended a first-round wideout with two years of rookie-deal control remaining. But clubs have changed course recently.

The Eagles and Dolphins, respectively, paid 2021 first-rounders DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. The Bengals are viewed as unlikely to follow this offseason trend, eyeing a 2025 Chase payday. The fourth-year receiver appears to be attempting to force the issue. Chase is not practicing for a second straight day, and the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway indicating the Pro Bowler wants a new contract.

This process is veering toward a hold-in. This tactic has become a common practice during the 2020s, after the 2020 CBA made holdouts more difficult to wage. With the Bengals not known to cave in to player demands often, this will be an interesting storyline to follow.

Chase said during minicamp he was fully healthy, via ESPN.com’s Ben Baby, and the Bengals have not placed him on their active/NFI list. This further points to a hold-in measure being waged. The Bengals have shut down Jonah Williams, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson‘s trade requests over the past two offseasons, but Chase will attempt another way to bring management to the table.

Chase did not show for Cincy’s OTAs but did report to minicamp. At the mandatory offseason event, however, Chase only participated in Bengals walkthroughs. The Bengals have effectively earmarked a Chase extension, as they have Higgins tied to the franchise tag for the 2024 season. Higgins’ Cincinnati future is blurry, while the team has identified Chase as its No. 2 overall priority (behind Joe Burrow, who is already extended).

Mike Brown said (via Conway) the Bengals have started negotiations with Chase. The Vikings had begun talks with Justin Jefferson last year, but the sides were unable to come to terms by Week 1. This led to negotiations being tabled to 2024, when the Vikings hammered out a record-setting deal. The guarantees in Jefferson’s four-year, $140MM extension ($110MM in total, $88.7MM in full) proved eye-popping around the league and are certain to have changed Chase’s target. Chase had indicated he wanted to wait for his former college teammate’s contract before finalizing a push for his own extension. A year younger than Jefferson and vital for a Super Bowl contender’s mission, Chase has some leverage he can try to exert.

That said, the Bengals have the LSU product tied to a $1.1MM 2024 base salary and a fully guaranteed $21.82MM fifth-year option f0r 2025. While the team hold the cards here, Chase will eventually require a contract the Bengals typically have not been comfortable authorizing.

Joining the Packers in being against guarantees beyond Year 1 for non-quarterbacks, and Baby adds the Bengals have bristled at the notion they will need to change their contract preferences for non-QBs. The Vikings guaranteed Jefferson’s 2024 and 2025 base salaries and most of his 2026 money.

Structure figures to become a sticking point for an old-school organization, complicating its Chase talks. The Bengals may well have a clearer path to a deal in 2025, when Higgins — barring a second tag not used to be traded — comes off the books. For now, no deal is imminent.

Bengals To Give Amarius Mims ‘Every Opportunity’ To Beat Out Trent Brown At RT

July 24th, 2024 at 1:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The last of this year’s draftees to sign his rookie contract, Amarius Mims now finds himself in what may be the largest position battle in NFL history. It is certainly on the short list. The 6-foot-8, 340-pound rookie is set to challenge a 6-8, 370-pound veteran to round out the Bengals’ offensive line.

Cincinnati signed Trent Brown as a stopgap of sorts but soon addressed the position with its first-round pick, adding Mims in an upside-based bet at No. 18. The Bengals taking advantage of a tackle-rich draft has given them an interesting situation at right tackle, with the depth chart forming shortly after Jonah Williams — a converted left tackle — joined the Cardinals in free agency.

[RELATED: Offseason In Review: Cincinnati Bengals]

Brown signed shortly after Williams’ defection, but Mims appears to be on near-equal footing with the recent Patriots starter. The Bengals will give the Georgia product “every opportunity” to overtake Brown, The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. writes (subscription required). Although Mims’ minimal college starter experience makes him a reasonable candidate as a developmental option behind Brown, it is notable the Bengals do not view their RT situation that way.

Mims made all of eight college starts in three Georgia seasons, showing immense potential when on the field. The SEC product battled injuries in college; the ankle injury he sustained last season required tightrope surgery and left him sidelined for much of the campaign, threatening to hurt his draft stock. Mims made his first starts during the 2022 College Football Playoff before logging six starts at right tackle in 2023. That is an interesting profile for a player chosen 18th overall, but the young blocker showcased tremendous potential during the draft run-up.

The Bengals gave Brown a one-year, $4.75MM deal a few days into free agency; that contract included $2MM guaranteed at signing. Brown, 31, carries significant injury risk and was at odds with the Patriots at points last season; some in New England viewed the mammoth tackle as protecting his stock for free agency rather than returning as quickly as he could have. Ankle and knee trouble limited Brown to 11 games last season, marking the fifth time in six seasons he has missed at least five games in a single campaign. That limited Brown’s market, and with the 10th-year lineman starting camp on the active/NFI list, the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway notes Mims will receive the bulk of the first-string reps.

Cincy saw its 2022 plan at right tackle fizzle when La’el Collins underwhelmed before ACL and MCL tears, leading to the Orlando Brown Jr. signing and Collins’ eventual release. Williams’ free agency exit, as big money went to a Tee Higgins franchise tag, opens the door for an interesting two-deep.

With Mims already in competition, Trent Brown shifting to a swing role — one Dehner notes is the better fit for the former Super Bowl starter at this point — may be on tap early in the season. Upon returning from the NFI list, Cincy’s older RT option will have work to do to book a 10th season as a starter.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/24

July 23rd, 2024 at 8:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OT Julién Davenport

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Reverted to IR: WR Jared Wayne
  • Released from IR: WR Jaxon Janke

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Bengals To ‘Try Hard’ To Complete Ja’Marr Chase Extension

July 22nd, 2024 at 9:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

With the deadline having passed for franchise tag recipient Tee Higgins to sign a long-term deal, he will play out the 2024 campaign ahead of an expected free agent departure next offseason. By that point, fellow Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase will likely have an extension in place.

The latter has played three years in the NFL, making him eligible for a second contract. With Cincinnati having made the obvious decision of picking up his fifth-year option, Chase is on the books through 2025. A multi-year commitment at or near the top of the receiver market is in the team’s plans, though.

When speaking to the media on Monday, Bengals owner and de facto GM Mike Brown said the team will “try hard” to ensure quarterback Joe Burrow is able to continue playing with his former LSU teammate for years to come (h/t Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer). Brown labeled Burrow as priority No. 1 for the franchise, something demonstrated by his $55MM-per-year extension signed last offseason. Chase, per Brown, is No. 2 on that list.

In spite of that remark, Brown notably added (via ESPN’s Ben Baby) a Chase mega-deal is not likely to be hammered out this summer. He said “the die has probably been cast” regarding an agreement not coming together until next offseason. It will be interesting to see if that stance alters negotiations once training camp opens.

The 24-year-old earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2021, and he has received a Pro Bowl nod in each of his three Bengals campaigns. Chase has seen the market move to new heights this offseason, with Justin Jefferson landing $35MM per year on his Vikings accord. That pact – which Chase waited to be finalized before taking part in Bengals negotiations – is the most expensive one ever given to a non-quarterback. Chase skipped OTAs, but he did participate in mandatory minicamp, suggesting he could elect to avoid a training camp holdout this week.

Brown also confirmed (via Conway) Cincinnati is hoping to work out an extension with kicker Evan McPherson. The 2021 fifth-rounder has had a consistent start to his career, putting him on the radar for a multi-year deal keeping him in the fold beyond 2024. McPherson, 25, resides in a division featuring three of the highest-paid players at the position. Justin Tucker (Ravens), Dustin Hopkins (Browns) and Chris Boswell (Steelers) are among the nine kickers attached to a deal averaging at least $5MM per year. The Bengals would likely need to make the Florida product a member of that group to keep him in place him via a second contract.

With almost $38MM in projected cap space for next offseason, Cincinnati has the flexibility to retain a number of impactful in-house players. Chase and McPherson are logical candidates for new deals, and it will be interesting to see if one or both have extensions in hand by the time the regular season starts.

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