The countdown to training camp is nearly up, but the Bengals still have plenty of work to do on the extension front. New deals for several players have yet to be worked out, leaving a number of unanswered questions for the team’s financial outlook.
Wideout Tee Higginsis set to enter the final year of his rookie contract, but he represents an obvious candidate for a multi-year deal. The need for new contracts on the part of quarterback Joe Burrow and, to a lesser extent, linebacker Logan Wilson led to trade speculation for Higgins this offseason, however. Cincinnati has made it clear the latter will not be on the move, and he has expressed a desire to remain with the team for years to come.
Those sentiments may not yield a smooth negotiating process, though. Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes that the matter of guranteed money on a new Higgins pact could become an issue during talks between the Bengals and agent David Mulugheta (subscription required). Plenty of recent precedent already exists regarding term and total dollar amounts on receiver deals, with extensions given to the likes of A.J. Brown, DK Metcalf, Deebo Samueland Terry McLaurinplaying a role in the unprecedented heights the position reached last offseason.
As Dehner notes, those four comparable pacts contain between $41MM and $58MM in guarantees, and the Bengals do not have a history of making such signficant long-term commitments. The pact for left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. – which included an historic $31.1MM signing bonus – and, no doubt, the one Burrow will sign at some point, represent exceptions to that general rule, though. A market-value deal for Higgins will require not only an AAV north of $20MM, but also a lucrative package of guranteed money.
The Bengals found themselves in troublesome extension talks last offseason with safety Jessie Bates, also a Mulugheta client. Bates ultimately played on the franchise tag in 2022, then landed a four-year, $64MM contract with the Falcons in free agency. A repeat of that situation could threaten the team’s ability to maintain its Burrow-Higgins-Ja’Marr Chasetriumvirate over the long haul, making the team’s approach with Higgins a key storyline to follow for the rest of the offseason.
The Bengals’ all-time games played leader has called it a career. Punter Kevin Huberannounced (via Twitter) on Friday that he is retiring.
The Cincinnati native never strayed from home during his football career, playing for the Bearcats in college before being drafted by the Bengals in 2009. He operated as the team’s punter for 13 straight seasons after that, though his run in that capacity came to an end midway through the 2022 campaign.
Huber played the first nine games of the season (enough for him to move into the No. 1 spot for most games played in Bengals history with 216), but his yards per punt average sat at 43.2. That represented a notable decline for the 37-year-old compared to recent years, and led to the team’s decision to move in a different direction. After handing punting duties to Drue Chrisman, Huber was waived in December and retained on the Bengals’ practice squad.
While that represented a disappointing end to his career, Huber will leave the game with a number of accomplishments. The former fifth-rounder earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2014, and twice recorded the NFL’s longest punt in a season (72 yards, in 2010 and ’20). It was considered inevitable, though, that Cincinnati would transition to Chrisman no later than the end of Huber’s most recent one-year pact. In all, he totaled just over $25MM in career earnings.
“From just a Cincinnati kid watching my Bengals at Riverfront Stadium to being drafted as their punter is something dreams are made of,” Huber’s statement reads in part. “The past 14 years have been beyond my imagination and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the Bengals organization.”
Chrisman’s performance in terms of average (47.8) and net (42.6) punting yards helped earn him the spot over Huber this past season. He will face considerable expectations being tasked with replicating those statistics over the long term, considering the impact made by his predecessor.
The latest NFL general manager hiring cycle only produced two changes, but each took over for an executive who appeared in good standing at this point last year.
As the Cardinals poached one of the Titans’ top front office lieutenants, Tennessee went with an NFC West staffer to replace Jon Robinson. The move to add 49ers FO bastion Ran Carthon also came less than a year after the Titans reached extension agreements with both Robinson and HC Mike Vrabel. But controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk canned Robinson — in place as GM since January 2016 — before last season ended. Adams Strunk cited player unavailability and roster quality among the reasons she chose to move on despite having extended Robinson through the 2027 draft months earlier. The Titans are now pairing Vrabel and Carthon.
The Bills reached an extension agreement with GM Brandon Beane two weeks ago. Hired shortly after the team gave Sean McDermott the HC keys, Beane has helped the Bills to five playoff berths in six seasons. Beane’s deal keeps him signed through 2027. Chargers GM Tom Telesco has hit the 10-year mark leading that front office, while this year also marks the 10th offseason of Buccaneers honcho Jason Licht‘s tenure running the NFC South team. Although Jim Irsay fired Frank Reich and later admitted he reluctantly extended his former HC in 2021, the increasingly active Colts owner has expressed confidence inChris Ballard.
Here is how the NFL’s GM landscape looks going into the 2023 season:
Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000[3]
After the 2022 offseason produced 10 new head coaches, this one brought a step back in terms of turnover. Five teams changed HCs, though each conducted thorough searches — four of them lasting until at least January 31.
The Colts and Cardinals hired their HCs after Super Bowl LVII, plucking the Eagles’ offensive and defensive coordinators (Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon). The Cardinals were hit with a tampering penalty regarding their Gannon search. Conducting their second HC search in two years, the Broncos saw multiple candidates drop out of the running. But Denver’s new ownership group convinced Sean Payton to step out of the FOX studio and back onto the sidelines after just one season away. The Panthers made this year’s first hire (Frank Reich), while the Texans — running their third HC search in three years — finalized an agreement with DeMeco Ryans minutes after the Payton news broke.
Only one of last year’s top 10 longest-tenured HCs lost his job. A turbulent Colts year led to Reich being fired barely a year after he signed an extension. During a rather eventful stretch, Jim Irsay said he reluctantly extended Reich in 2021. The Colts passed on giving interim HC Jeff Saturday the full-time position, despite Irsay previously indicating he hoped the former center would transition to that role. Reich landed on his feet, and after losing Andrew Luck to a shocking retirement just before his second Colts season, the well-regarded play-caller now has another No. 1 pick (Bryce Young) to mentor.
After considering a Rams exit, Sean McVayrecommitted to the team and is overseeing a reshaped roster. Andy Reid also sidestepped retirement rumors, staying on with the Chiefs after his second Super Bowl win. This will be Reid’s 25th season as an NFL head coach.
Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2023 season:
Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumointerviewed for the Giants’ head coaching job in 2022 and was a finalist for the Cardinals’ HC post this year. After a lengthy search process, Arizona chose Jonathan Gannon for the position, so Anarumo will return to Cincinnati for the upcoming campaign. Nonetheless, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic predicts that the 56-year-old will be a prominent member of next year’s coaching cycle (subscription required).
Should Anarumo leave the Bengals to become a head coach elsewhere in 2024, Dehner believes linebackers coach James Bettcher would most likely step into his shoes as Cincy’s DC. There are a number of reasons why that would be a logical move.
For one, a Bettcher promotion would represent schematic continuity, as he will have two years of experience working on Anarumo’s Bengals staff by the time the 2023 season comes to an end. And he also offers defensive coordinator experience himself, having served in that capacity with the Cardinals and Giants last decade.
During Bettcher’s tenure as Arizona’s DC from 2015-17, the club never finished outside of the top-six in total defense, a performance that earned Bettcher a head coaching interview in the desert following the 2017 season. That job ultimately went to Steve Wilks, and although Wilks reportedly offered Bettcher a chance to stay in his post, Bettcher accepted the Giants’ defensive coordinator position instead (he also received an offer from the Titans).
Bettcher’s time with Big Blue did not go according to plan, as the team finished in the bottom-10 in total defense in both of his seasons at the helm. In fairness, New York was not operating with much defensive talent at the time, particularly in the linebacking corps and secondary, which undermined Bettcher’s aggressive approach to play-calling. When Joe Judge became the Giants’ HC in 2020, he did not retain Bettcher, who sat out that season before taking a job as a senior defensive assistant with the 49ers in 2021.
Now 45, Bettcher joined the Bengals in his current role in 2022, a season that saw starting LBs Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt turn in the best performances of their careers. Cincinnati, of course, has emerged as an AFC heavyweight over the past several seasons, and while the Joe Burrow-led offense deservingly gets most of the credit for that development, the defense has steadily improved since Anarumo’s appointment as defensive coordinator in 2019. Last season, although the Bengals finished in the middle of the pack in terms of total defense, they did allow the sixth-fewest points per game and finished just outside the top-10 in takeaways.
If Anarumo’s unit continues its upward trajectory, or at least sustains its current level of performance, it stands to reason that he would generate more HC interest, and that the Bengals would want to promote a familiar and experienced candidate in Bettcher. Of course, the team would need to comply with Rooney Rule requirements before such a move could be made official.
The Bengals have been negotiating a new deal with Joe Burrow for months, and with the offseason all but over, the front office’s current top priority is extending their franchise quarterback.
Since we last learned in May that Burrow was taking a hands-on approach to negotiations, there haven’t been many updates. As Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic writes, there may be a reason for the holdup, with sources attributing the slow-going nature of negotiations to “outside forces at play.”
Dehner surmises that both the Bengals and Burrow may be waiting to see how Justin Herbert‘s negotiations unfold with the Chargers. That impending extension would be the “final piece of the puzzle” that would allow both Burrow and the Bengals to feel comfortable about the QB’s market.
Of course, both sides have kept negotiations “close to the vest,” and Dehner cautions that any reports on specific contract details would likely be speculation. In other words, there’s no reason for Bengals fans to fret over the lack of reports coming out of Cincinnati.
Burrow has quickly put himself in position to be one of the highest-paid QBs in the NFL, having guided the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance in 2021 before tossing a career-high 35 touchdowns during his third NFL season. Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson recently eclipsed the $50MM-per-year mark on their new contracts, and Burrow will likely be eyeing a similar payout on his next deal.
The former first-overall pick has one year remaining on his rookie pact, and he will be tied to a 2024 salary of $29.5MM given the Bengals’ decision to pick up his fifth-year option. There’s no true urgency to agree to an extension, but considering some of the other Bengals players due new contracts, some cost certainty at the QB position should only help the front office.
On the radar for several weeks, the Joe Mixon pay-cut situation still lingers for the Bengals. The seventh-year veteran went through Cincinnati’s minicamp in his usual starting role, but he is still not a lock to be on the team when it begins padded practices in August.
While vested veterans’ salaries do not become guaranteed until the Tuesday before Week 1, the Bengals and Mixon want this situation resolved “sooner rather than later,” Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Mixon, 27 in July, is tied to a $9.4MM base salary this year; the Bengals have long aimed to reduce that.
This probably is not going over well with Mixon, but his status has been an uncertainty since before the running back position began sustaining steady body blows. Bengals executive VP Duke Tobin said back at the Combine that Mixon’s status on the 2023 roster would be determined, and word of a pay-cut request emerged in mid-April.
As we wrap up June, Mixon remains tied to the four-year, $48MM contract he signed just before the 2020 season. The Bengals may be waiting to hammer out their Joe Burrow extension before addressing the Mixon matter, but no updates have come out on the quarterback’s negotiations in some time. With Burrow’s talks partially tied to how the Chargers proceed with Justin Herbert, the team may need to reach a Mixon agreement before Burrow signs.
This year has brought grim updates for the running back position. The Cowboys and Vikings shed two of the position’s top four deals from their respective payrolls, releasing Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook. Although Aaron Jones‘ restructure came with more 2023 security, the Packers back agreed to a $5MM pay cut. The Chargers refused to give Austin Ekeler, the NFL’s touchdown leader in each of the past two seasons, a raise; a minor incentive package became the solution instead. Miles Sanders‘ $6.35MM-per-year contract led the way for a deep free agency class this year. None of the three franchise-tagged backs — Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard — have extensions in place. Sanders said this week that “it sucks to be a running back right now.”
The developments of the past few months may point to the Bengals asking for a significant Mixon reduction — perhaps more than the Packers $5MM Jones trim. With the likes of Elliott, Cook, Leonard Fournette and Kareem Hunt unsigned, the Bengals still have outside options. But the team is unlikely to consider those UFAs until they drop their asking prices, Dehner adds. This creates an interesting scenario for the AFC power.
The Vikings were rumored to be seeking a Cook cut, but they are not believed to have offered a specific number before releasing their 2017 RB draftee. Coming off a down year, Mixon is seemingly short on options. But the Bengals did lose Samaje Perine to the Broncos in free agency. The Bengals are believed to have offered their veteran backup a deal similar to the two-year, $7.5MM terms the Broncos proposed. Cincinnati used a fifth-round pick on Illinois’ Chase Brownand has fifth-year player Trayveon Williams and third-year back Chris Evans rostered as well. None of the team’s other options profiles as a starter. Perine’s exit provides apparent Mixon leverage, but the cadre of accomplished free agents would stand to undercut it.
Mixon did earn a Pro Bowl nod after totaling 1,519 scrimmage yards and 16 touchdowns — both career-high marks — in 2021, helping the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI. This extension, like those given to Cook and Jones, has benefited the team. But the state of the market — and the contract statuses of Burrow, Tee Higgins and Logan Wilson — prompted the Bengals to make this play. Mixon’s response will either keep the Bengals’ stacked skill-position corps intact or add another big name to the free agent mix.
The right tackle spot will be one to monitor closely in Cincinnati during training camp, since that is the likeliest landing spot for former blindside protector Jonah Williams. Another option at the position may not be available to the Bengals by the start of the season.
La’el Collinsis a strong candidate to be placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list in advance of the regular season, writes The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. (subscription required). That designation would keep him sidelined for at least six weeks, so the team will no doubt remain patient in their evaluation of the veteran tackle before deciding how to proceed with him.
Collins continues to rehab the torn ACL and MCL he suffered in December, injuries which added to his missed games over the course of his career and cut short his debut Bengals season. The 29-year-old spent his first seven years (six seasons) with the Cowboys, manning the RT spot during most of that time. His release from Dallas cleared the way for a three-year, $21MM pact in Cincinnati as part of the team’s rebuilding effort up front.
The former UDFA started all 15 games he played in last season, but he drew the second-worst overall PFF grade (57.9) of his career in the process. The Bengals were likewise unimpressed with Collins’ performance, something which likely played a small part in their decision to retain Williams in the aftermath of his trade request. The latter is now set to try his hand at a switch to right tackle, where his primary competition for a starting spot will be Jackson Carman.
Collins, when healthy, is thus likely suited for a backup role at the tackle spot. He has experience playing on the inside, but a unit involving he, Williams and free agent left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.on the field together is not under consideration. All attention will be on Collins’ level of progress in his recovery over the next few weeks, followed by his role during the campaign upon returning to full health and the team’s active roster.
Indicating on multiple occasions he plans to take his time during his first go-round in free agency, Dalvin Cook is surveying the field. The six-year Vikings running back is believed to have attracted interest from a few teams, but the market has not produced many known suitors yet.
When determining a Cook destination, it is probably logical to start with the Dolphins. Cook is a Miami native who dropped a bit of a hint about his hopes after the Vikings released him. Mutual interest is believed to exist between these parties, and while the Dolphins are not planning to give Cook a contract on par with the $12.6MM-per-year deal he signed with the Vikes back in 2020, they are expected to make an offer.
Miami adding Cook would crowd its backfield, given the re-signings of ex-Mike McDaniel 49ers charges Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson, along with Myles Gaskin (though, Gaskin’s deal contains no guarantees). The team also drafted Texas A&M’s Devon Achane in Round 3. Cook would fit in on a Dolphins team loading up around Tua Tagovailoa‘s rookie contract. Tyreek Hill‘s deal represents the only notable skill-position contract on Miami’s payroll, and Tagovailoa is due to count only $9.63MM against the team’s cap this season. Next year becomes trickier, with Tua’s fifth-year option bumping his cap number to $23.17MM.
Elsewhere in the AFC East, the Jets have not exactly made their desperation a secret. They have brought in three veteran skill cogs already, in Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman and Randall Cobb, to team with Aaron Rodgers. New York features a question at running back, with Breece Hall coming off ACL surgery. But the 2022 second-round pick is on track to be ready for Week 1. The Jets have Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight and fifth-round rookie Israel Abanikanda. The Bills appear less needy, having signed Damien Harris and Latavius Murray. But the team does roster Dalvin’s younger brother, James Cook, and is aiming to capitalize on a Super Bowl window that has been open for years.
Beyond the competitive AFC East, the Bengals loom as an interesting option. They are still planning to seek a Joe Mixonpay cut. A refusal by the six-year starter would deal a blow to a locked-and-loaded offense, but in the event the $12MM-per-year back balks, the Bengals would check Cook boxes of a contender with a clear need. That said, Mixon would not have many options were he to refuse a cut. It will be interesting to see how much of a reduction Cincy requests.
The Ravens have seen their J.K. Dobbins–Gus Edwards backfield plan thrown off course by injuries, and considering the aggressive moves to bolster a long-shaky receiver situation, would Baltimore consider a veteran back without major injury questions? Cook has said he is recovered from the February shoulder surgery he underwent. The Browns are likely to explore the addition of a Nick Chubb backup, though the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot notes the team is unlikely to chase a Cook- or Ezekiel Elliott-level back for this role.
The NFC East profiles as another division to watch here. Elliott remains in play to return to Dallas on a significant pay reduction; Cook would be an upgrade on the popular Cowboy. But how much money would the team be comfortable shelling out during an offseason in which it tagged Tony Pollard at $10.9MM? Washington has Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson rostered, but the team is looking into former Eric Bieniemy Chiefs charge Kareem Hunt. Cook may need to compromise on his interest in landing with a contender, given the uncertainty surrounding likely Commanders QB1 Sam Howell. But the team’s running back interest should be factored into this equation.
Last month, the Buccaneers were connected to the pursuit of a veteran to complement Rachaad White. Cook would be overqualified for such a role, and Tampa Bay’s post-Tom Brady contender status is in question. But the Bucs, their Chase Edmonds acquisition notwithstanding, profile as a team that could stand to add a backfield piece. The Broncos initially came out as a team monitoring the four-time 1,100-yard rusher, joining the Dolphins in this regard, but they have since been mentioned as a team expected to steer clear of this market.
Kirk Cousins mentioned a potential Vikings reunion — which would need to come at a significantly reduced rate — and Cook has spoken highly of Minnesota. Though, this does not seem likely. Is there another team that should be mentioned as a Cook destination? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this summer free agency storyline in the comments section.
But the prospect of a Mixon pay cut surfaced before Taylor’s comments. Despite the coach’s endorsement, the team is still planning on a Mixon pay reduction, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes (subscription required).
Although Mixon and Dalvin Cook were each part of a deep 2017 running back class, the former is a year younger. Mixon will turn 27 in July. But the Bengals are following the Vikings and Packers leads in aiming to adjust their seventh-year starter’s extension. Mixon and Cook signed their respective re-ups just before the 2020 season, with the Packers matching the Bengals’ Mixon AAV for Aaron Jones ($12MM). Cook’s is no longer an active contract, while Jones accepted a trim in exchange for more 2023 guarantees. Mixon’s deal calls for a $9.4MM 2023 base salary and a $12.8MM cap hit.
The Bengals remain ready to give Mixon, whose $12MM-per-year deal runs through 2024, a late-offseason ultimatum. Mixon refusing the reduction will likely lead to a release and the team searching for outside help, Dehner adds.
While this is certainly not an optimal time for Mixon to be forced into a salary trim, his 2023 status has been a talking point since the Combine. The Bengals, however, have the most significant contract in franchise history to hammer out before clarity emerges. Joe Burrow and the team have been in talks on what will almost certainly be a record-setting extension since late March. Burrow’s re-up will change Cincinnati’s blueprint, and it may well affect how the team navigates its receiver situation. And Mixon’s future will be impacted by Burrow’s deal.
But the Bengals went through their offseason program with Mixon looking again like a central figure in their offense, per Dehner. The former second-round pick has started 71 games and ripped off three 1,000-yard seasons. Last year was not one of them, with Mixon totaling just 814 rushing yards and missing three games. Mixon’s rushing yards-per-game number dropped from 75.3 in 2021 to 58.1 last season. That said, the Oklahoma alum did add a career-best 441 receiving yards. Mixon has logged 1,545 career touches. Since 2017, only Ezekiel Elliott, Derrick Henry and Alvin Kamara have topped that. His age aside, Mixon is on the downside of his career.
Mixon may reluctantly agree to the Bengals’ terms, seeing as this marks the best opportunity to remain a full-time back — especially with Perine out of the mix. While he could also hold the line and see if a Bengals team aiming to dethrone the Chiefs is keen on losing a proven upper-echelon back, the Bengals would have free agency options as well. Four-year Browns back Kareem Hunt still available. Cook also is taking his time, waiting for a competitive offer on a contending team. Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson are also available. As for in-house options, the Bengals drafted Illinois’ Chase Brown in the fifth round. He joins fifth-year back Trayveon Williams and 2021 sixth-rounder Chris Evans on Cincy’s depth chart.
The batch of accomplished backs on the market also will probably factor into the Bengals’ Mixon price point. So will the 2023 developments at the position. No back secured more than $6.5MM per year this offseason; the Cowboys and Vikings moved on from their pricey starters; Austin Ekeler was forced to accept a low-level Chargers incentive package after requesting a trade; the Giants have pulled Saquon Barkley offers off the table. While it will be interesting to see how this Mixon saga ends, it seems a near certainty his contract will be adjusted before Week 1.
