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Cincinnati Bengals News & Rumors

Bengals Not Planning To Try La’el Collins At Guard

June 15th, 2023 at 10:29am CST by Sam Robinson

With Orlando Brown Jr. now locked in at left tackle, a Bengals team that saw offensive line injuries sink its effort to book back-to-back Super Bowl berths is suddenly deep on the right side. Displaced blindside bastion Jonah Williams joins La’el Collins and Jackson Carman in a right tackle battle that is sure to garner attention from other teams.

Although Williams looks to have backed off his trade request, a trade involving one of the competitors could conceivably be in play. But the Bengals are not planning to try a potential “best five” scenario up front. A lineup in which Brown, Williams and Collins play together — with Collins sliding to guard — could be logical, as Collins has guard experience. But that is not expected to be a path the team considers, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes (subscription required).

The Bengals return Alex Cappa at right guard and are not entertaining a potential demotion of Cordell Volson at left guard, Dehner adds, noting the team views the 2022 fourth-round pick as an ascending player. Brown is placing a priority on forming a rapport with Volson on the left side, and the latter was one of just two Cincinnati O-line starters — joining center Ted Karras — to remain on the field when the season ended in Kansas City.

Collins has a past at guard, coming into the NFL at the position. Falling out of the draft due to an off-field issue in 2015, Collins made his way into the Cowboys’ starting lineup at left guard during his rookie season. Dallas then began the 2016 campaign with the overqualified UDFA opposite Zack Martin. But a toe injury shut down Collins three games into the 2016 slate. That malady ended his guard run; the Cowboys moved the LSU product to right tackle in 2017. Collins stayed at that position in Dallas through the 2021 season, signing two extensions with the team. Following a 2022 release, Collins signed a three-year, $21MM Bengals deal.

This contract carries a $9.4MM 2023 cap number, and the Bengals can move on — via trade or release — for less than $2MM in dead money. The team was not thrilled with Collins’ debut, helping lead to the Brown pursuit, but the veteran has made 86 career starts. Collins, 30 in July, would seemingly be of interest to a tackle-needy team, should his recovery from December ACL and MCL tears go according to plan. Carman’s contract runs through 2024, making him a more cost-efficient backup to Williams. A 2021 second-rounder whom Volson beat out for the left guard gig, Carman finished last season as Williams’ replacement at left tackle.

Volson’s rookie deal runs through 2025, and he stands to make a logical left-sider next to Brown, who is tied to the most lucrative O-line accord in Bengals history. Pro Football Focus graded Volson outside the top 60 at guard last season, leaving some work ahead for the North Dakota State alum. But he remains the unquestioned Bengals starter at left guard, with Collins only a potential option in the event of an injury.

Jonah Williams Addresses Bengals Future, Recovery Timeline

June 13th, 2023 at 11:49am CST by Adam La Rose

With the Bengals having added Orlando Brown Jr. this offseason to operate on the blindside, plenty of questions have been raised regarding the future of Jonah Williams. The team’s now-former left tackle is in attendance at mandatory minicamp, and he spoke about his approach to the 2023 season and his recovery from knee surgery.

Williams requested a trade upon Brown’s arrival, something which will relegate the former first-rounder to competing for the starting right tackle spot. He is due $12.6MM this season on the fifth-year option, making the 2023 campaign a crucial one as he approaches free agency for the first time in his career. Williams was not present for Cincinnati’s voluntary OTAs, but he has arrived for the three-day mandatory minicamp.

“I’ll be happy to be a contributor on a team where I have so many great teammates,” the Alabama product said, via Geoff Hobson of the team’s website. “l love everyone in the room, love the coaches, love the fans. I’m stoked.”

Those remarks could represent a withdrawal of Williams’ trade request, something which failed to yield much in the way of tangible conversations for the Bengals on the subject of a potential swap. The Jaguars are the only known team which discussed a potential trade for the 25-year-old. With his future set to remain in Cincinnati, Williams is turning his attention to his health ahead of the 2023 season.

A dislocated kneecap cost him much of the team’s playoff run last season, prompting surgery and leading to questions about his ability to return to full health and at least match his performances of years past. Williams is confident that he will be back on the field in time for training camp next month, though, which will give him the opportunity to challenge for the RT spot with the likes of La’el Collins (when healthy), Jackson Carman, Cody Ford and Hakeem Adeniji. That endeavor is something he is approaching with confidence.

“I’m incorporating my rehab into football drills working out of the right tackle stance,” Williams added. “[The biggest adjustment] is re-learning everything for the other side of your body. Opposite stance… It’s nothing that reps and practice won’t get me used to… There’s a lot of technique to kind of unlearn and switch to the other side. It’s my job. I love it… I’m going to crush it.”

Bengals Set To Face Challenge To Young Culture

June 10th, 2023 at 5:59pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bengals have established a pattern in recent years that show they prize youth and tend not to sign players to third contracts. After past days of paying staples like Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap, and A.J. Green, Cincinnati has flipped gears, allowing such mainstays as C.J. Uzomah, Vonn Bell, and Giovani Bernard to walk in favor of younger players. Center Ted Karras is the only starter currently in his 30s, and backups safety Michael Thomas and quarterback Trevor Siemian are the only others on the roster older than him.

This newfound aversion to paying players into their 30s will be put to the test in the next two years, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. Next year will be a contract year for cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, wide receiver Tyler Boyd, and defensive tackle D.J. Reader, all currently wrapping up their second contracts. The following offseason will see the pending free agency of defensive end Trey Hendrickson, as well. If recent tradition holds true, none of the four would don striped helmets in 2025. These four present a great challenge to the Bengals’ young philosophy.

Perhaps projecting this exact philosophy, Cincinnati used three draft picks on these positions, selecting pass rusher Myles Murphy in the first round, cornerback DJ Turner II in the second round, and wide receiver Charlie Jones in the fourth round. Jones doesn’t quite have the size to be an eventual replacement for Boyd, but Murphy and Turner seem like clear attempts to bolster the future at those two positions.

You’ll notice Reader didn’t have a possible replacement drafted. Dehner asserts that of all the aging players, Reader stands the best chance of returning on a third contract. Ever since arriving from Houston, Reader has played at another level for the Bengals. He’s a captain and the spirit of the team’s defense. Dehner asserts that the benefits of milking every last ounce of football talent out of Reader outweigh the risks of taking on a portion of his eventual decline. The Bengals may need some convincing, though, as interior defensive linemen rarely display top play into their 30s. Reader turns 29 at the turn of this month.

Hendrickson likely holds the spot as the next most-likely candidate for a third contract. An underrated addition when he came over from New Orleans, Hendrickson has been nothing short of a star in Cincinnati. He followed up an impressive contract year as a Saint with two straight Pro Bowl seasons, including one with 14.0 sacks. Hendrickson turns 29 this December, meaning the Saints will have to consider whether to bring him back for any of his 30s next offseason. Truly talented pass rushers are hard to come by, so if Hendrickson performs to his usual potential, it should be an easy decision for the Bengals. Any injuries or setbacks in production, though, could put his future with the team in jeopardy.

Of course, this is all purely academic as of right now. The Bengals recent moves could all be coincidental, or they could be working on a case-by-case basis with none yet meeting the requirements necessary to reach a third contract. Regardless, Reader, Hendrickson, Boyd, and Awuzie are all headed towards that eventual consideration. Will they be the first to buck the team’s recent trends or will Cincinnati’s roster continue to be one of the youngest in the league?

2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team

June 2nd, 2023 at 3:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

The start of June has served as a key NFL financial period for decades. While teams no longer have to wait until after June 1 to make that cost-splitting cut designation, teams pick up the savings from those transactions today. With a handful of teams making post-June 1 cuts this year, here is how each team’s cap space (courtesy of OverTheCap) looks as of Friday:

  1. Chicago Bears: $32.58MM
  2. Carolina Panthers: $27.25MM
  3. Arizona Cardinals: $26.68MM
  4. New York Jets: $24.79MM
  5. Detroit Lions: $23.72MM
  6. Indianapolis Colts: $23.39MM
  7. Dallas Cowboys: $20.48MM
  8. Houston Texans: $16.81MM
  9. Green Bay Packers: $16.57MM
  10. Pittsburgh Steelers: $15.73MM
  11. Cincinnati Bengals: $14.92MM
  12. New Orleans Saints: $14.27MM
  13. New England Patriots: $14.12MM
  14. Miami Dolphins: $13.9MM
  15. Cleveland Browns: $13.86MM
  16. Philadelphia Eagles: $13.85MM
  17. Los Angeles Chargers: $12.61MM
  18. Jacksonville Jaguars: $12MM
  19. Washington Commanders: $11.57MM
  20. Baltimore Ravens: $11.54MM
  21. San Francisco 49ers: $10.72MM
  22. Atlanta Falcons: $10.7MM
  23. Denver Broncos: $10.13MM
  24. Minnesota Vikings: $9.75MM
  25. Tennessee Titans: $7.99MM
  26. Seattle Seahawks: $7.94MM
  27. New York Giants: $3.82MM
  28. Las Vegas Raiders: $3.37MM
  29. Los Angeles Rams: $1.49MM
  30. Buffalo Bills: $1.4MM
  31. Kansas City Chiefs: $653K
  32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $402K

The Dolphins gained the most from a post-June 1 cut (Byron Jones) this year, creating $13.6MM in cap space from a deal that will spread out the cornerback’s dead money through 2024. But the Browns (John Johnson, Jadeveon Clowney) and Cowboys (Ezekiel Elliott) created more than $10MM in space as well.

The Jets’ number is a bit deceiving. They are still working on a restructure with Aaron Rodgers, as the trade acquisition’s cap number — after a Packers restructure — sits at just $1.22MM. In 2024, that number skyrockets to $107.6MM. Rodgers’ cap hit will almost definitely will climb before Week 1, so viewing the Jets along with the other teams north of $20MM in space is not entirely accurate.

Minnesota is moving closer to separating from its $12.6MM-per-year Dalvin Cook contract. The team already created some space by trading Za’Darius Smith to the Browns. Cleveland, which is one of the teams connected to DeAndre Hopkins, added Smith and did so with help from its Deshaun Watson restructure. Watson was set to count $54.9MM against the Browns’ 2023 cap. That number is down to $19.1MM, though the Browns’ restructure both ballooned Watson’s mid-2020s cap figures to $63.9MM — which would shatter the NFL record — and added a 2027 void year.

Tampa Bay and Los Angeles sit atop the league in dead money, with the Bucs — largely from their April 2022 Tom Brady restructure — checking in at $75.3MM here. That total comprises nearly 33% of the Bucs’ 2023 cap sheet. The Rams, at more than $74MM, are not far behind. Despite the Bills and Chiefs — the teams most frequently tied to Hopkins — joining the Bucs and Rams near the bottom of the league in cap space, both AFC contenders also sit in the bottom five in dead money.

Tyler Boyd Addresses Contract Situation

May 30th, 2023 at 9:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

In February, Tyler Boyd wondered about his status on the 2023 Bengals. Three months later, the wide receiver can rest easier. He remains on Cincinnati’s roster, with the team preparing to run it back — perhaps for the final time — with its elite wideout trio.

Boyd is heading into the final season of his four-year, $43MM contract. With Tee Higgins now extension-eligible and both Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase on paths toward position-record contracts, Boyd may soon become a luxury the franchise can no longer afford. While the veteran slot receiver is open to a deal that keeps him in Cincinnati beyond 2023, he is far from certain that will come to pass.

“This is my home for now. I’m not going to worry about the unexpected. I’m here to finish this year out, and whatever happens, happens,” Boyd said, via The Athletic’s Jay Morrison (subscription required). “But I know we have a very, very high chance of making the Super Bowl and even winning, and this is where I want to be. Whether I come up with a new deal or not, I got to just go out there, and I’m gonna be me.

“I am very appreciative of them still wanting me to be around and knowing that they don’t want to trade me and things like that. I might not be here forever. But I’ve always loved this franchise, and I’m always going to be a Bengal.”

Bengals VP of player personnel Duke Tobin emphatically shot down Higgins trade rumors at the Combine, and Burrow extension talks have begun. Chase is not yet eligible for a new deal, and the Bengals can potentially delay those talks until 2025 due to the fifth-year option that will be exercised next May. With even Higgins not a lock to be extended, as that will come at a high price, Boyd’s place in line might dictate he secures his third contract elsewhere.

The Bengals extended Boyd before the arrivals of Burrow, Higgins and Chase, locking him down ahead of Zac Taylor‘s first season as HC in 2019. The former second-round pick has not missed more than one game in a season since signing his extension — though, the thigh bruise that knocked him out early in the AFC championship game proved costly for the Bengals — and has ripped off five straight 700-plus-yard receiving seasons. He wrapped 2022 with 762 yards and five touchdown receptions. Boyd will turn 29 later this year and would stand to be in line for a nice third contract, which seems more likely than not to come in free agency.

Next year’s receiver UFA class may be more crowded than this year’s moderately talented crop, but Boyd could benefit from other teams keeping starters off the market. Mike Evans is entering a contract year, while Calvin Ridley and Marquise Brown are tied to fifth-year options. The Broncos, Cowboys and 49ers took their 2020 first-rounders (Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, Brandon Aiyuk) out of the equation by exercising their respective 2024 options; the Bengals nabbing Higgins in Round 2 did not give them that transaction choice. Higgins could become next year’s top receiver free agent, though the Bengals would have the franchise tag at their disposal. They want to extend the ex-Clemson standout, but no known talks have commenced.

The team retained A.J. Green via the tag in 2020, months after extending Boyd. A backloaded Burrow contract and Chase playing 2024 on his rookie deal keeps the door open for a Higgins 2024 tag — one likely north of $20MM. The Bengals’ fourth-round selection of slot receiver Charlie Jones in Round 4 adds another impediment toward a Boyd extension. Boyd does not expect the Bengals to consider another deal for him until the Higgins matter is resolved.

“I know we’ve got to get deals done with important players like Joe and Tee,” Boyd said. “I’m good with money. I just want to see the guys that deserve it get paid. What happens in the future — hopefully, it works out for me.”

From a big-picture standpoint, a compelling stretch lies ahead for the Bengals’ receiving group. For now, however, they are set to enter another season with the Chase-Higgins-Boyd trio surrounding Burrow. Other teams will undoubtedly be interested in how the franchise proceeds with its Nos. 2 and 3 targets.

Each NFL Franchise’s Richest QB Contract

May 29th, 2023 at 9:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The quarterback market has moved again this offseason. A year after Aaron Rodgers raised the average annual value bar past $50MM, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson did so on long-term extensions. Overall, four teams have authorized the most lucrative QB deal in their respective histories this offseason. Two more — the Bengals and Chargers — are in talks about record-setting extensions as well.

On that note, here is the richest quarterback contract each team has authorized. Although teams like the Jets and Lions have acquired big-ticket contracts via trade, only teams’ extensions or free agency agreements will qualify here.

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Jay Cutler, January 2014. Seven years, $126.7MM. $38MM fully guaranteed

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Carson Palmer, December 2005. Six years, $97MM. $30.8MM fully guaranteed

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

In trading this contract to the Jets in April, the Packers restructured the deal. Rodgers’ exit will still tag the Pack with $40.3MM in 2023 dead money.

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Carr’s second Raiders deal — agreed to in April 2022 — was worth $40.5MM per year. The full guarantee, thanks to the February escape hatch the team built into the contract, checked in lower than Carr’s initial Raiders extension.

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Cousins’ 2020 extension checked in with a higher AAV ($33MM) but did not approach his initial Minnesota pact for guarantees.

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Chad Pennington, September 2004. Seven years, $64MM. $23MM guaranteed.

The Jets have signed three quarterbacks to deals involving more guaranteed money, but each of those contracts — for Mark Sanchez (2009), Sam Darnold (2018) and Zach Wilson (2021) — was a rookie pact.

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Latest On Extension Talks Between Bengals, Joe Burrow

May 19th, 2023 at 3:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

The top priority remaining for the Bengals this offseason is getting a deal done with quarterback Joe Burrow. The team’s franchise signal-caller is taking a hands-on approach during negotiations, which remain ongoing.

Contract talks began in March, to no surprise. The 26-year-old has put himself in line for one of several mega-deals at the position which have been signed in recent years, including Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson eclipsing the $50MM-per-year mark on their new contracts signed in 2023. Those pacts represent further benchmarks for Burrow’s second contract, which will likewise come with a hefty pricetag given his level of play and importance to the franchise’s string of success.

“I’m involved. That’s in the works,” Burrow said of extension talks, via Eric Edholm of NFL.com. “That’s not really something that I like to play out in the media. Just the way I think they want to do business, I want to do business, we prefer to keep that between us.”

The former No. 1 pick has one year remaining on his rookie contract, and he will be tied to a 2024 salary of $29.5MM given the Bengals’ decision to pick up his fifth-year option. While that leaves both parties plenty of time to work out a deal, Cincinnati has a number of other young contributors due signficant raises in the near future, something which could provide added urgency to establish clarity on how much Burrow will cost through the foreseeable future. When speaking on that point, the latter acknowledged that contracts for other financial priorities are still a “focal point” for him during his negotiations.

Wideout Tee Higgins was mentioned in trade rumors this offseason given the team’s need to extend not only Burrow, but also fellow pass-catcher Ja’Marr Chase as early as 2024. Higgins will remain with the Bengals for this season, but he and linebacker Logan Wilson headline the players seeking new contracts this summer. Sorting out how (if at all) they can keep their entire young core intact will go a long way in determining the Bengals’ success for years to come, but finalizing a new Burrow pact represents an obvious first step.

“I’m pretty clear on what I want in the contract and what I think is best for myself and the team,” Burrow added when asked about specifics during extension talks. “So we’re on the road to making that happen.”

AFC North Notes: Ravens, Steelers, Ossai

May 18th, 2023 at 12:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Lamar Jackson‘s foray as his own agent involved years of proposals and counterproposals, and while the former MVP received criticism for playing out his rookie contract, the Ravens rewarded their centerpiece player with a record-setting deal. That $52MM-per-year contract includes $135MM fully guaranteed. While that is not in the Deshaun Watson stratosphere — a range Jackson sought to enter — it places the sixth-year veteran second for full guarantees. One of Jackson’s proposals along the way included a three-year, $156MM fully guaranteed deal, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. The Ravens did not relent on term length, but Jackson’s proposal probably factored into the final result. By March 2024, Jackson will see his guarantee total balloon to $156MM.

The Ravens made a seismic bet Jackson (11 missed games since 2021) will stay healthy, as this contract locks them in through 2025 at least. Here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • While the Steelers drafted Joey Porter Jr. 32nd overall, he was in consideration for their first-round selection. Had the Steelers not traded up to draft tackle Broderick Jones at No. 14, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly notes they likely would have chosen Porter at 17 (subscription required). Teams often paint rosy pictures of their draft plans in the aftermath, but Porter — who visited the Steelers’ facility, a place he is quite familiar with due to his father’s history with the team — was viewed as a first-round talent who slipped a bit. The Steelers did make it known the 32nd pick was available, and as Will Levis also fell out of Round 1, they received multiple offers. But they now have Jones and Porter in the fold.
  • Joseph Ossai‘s final-seconds hit on Patrick Mahomes may well have denied the Bengals a second straight Super Bowl berth, giving the Chiefs a better chance of avoiding overtime. Following Harrison Butker‘s game-winning field goal, Ossai headed toward a rehab-filled offseason. The edge rusher suffered a torn left shoulder labrum during a December game against the Browns and played hurt the rest of the way. Ossai, who had rebounded from a full-season rookie absence (due to a meniscus injury) to play 19 games last season, is expected to be ready for training camp, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets.
  • When the Steelers brought Bud Dupree in for a visit, they wanted to re-sign their former first-round pick back to a two-year deal, Kaboly adds. A previous report indicated the Steelers did not discuss terms with Dupree, but it does appear the club had a preferred contract range — one that would have helped keep the edge rusher’s 2023 cap number low. Dupree signed a one-year, $3MM Falcons deal that could spike to $5MM.
  • On the subject of contracts that did come to pass, Rock Ya-Sin‘s one-year Ravens deal will be worth $4MM. That amount is fully guaranteed, according to OverTheCap. This will give the former Colts and Raiders cornerback a chance to re-establish his value for a possible 2024 free agency bid.
  • Shifting back to Pittsburgh, the Steelers will see some front office turnover. Mark Gorscak, who has been with the team for 28 years, will retire from his scouting post this offseason, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes. Also known for his role as the Combine’s 40-yard dash starter, Gorscak follows another Steelers staffer in place since the 1990s — assistant coach John Mitchell — as mainstays departing the team this offseason.
  • The Steelers are hiring former Raiders southeast area scout Zack Crockett to work in the same capacity, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. Crockett, who enjoyed a 13-year career (mostly with the Raiders) as a fullback, spent the past 14 years as a Raiders scout. Las Vegas’ Dave Ziegler– and Josh McDaniels-led regime parted ways with Crockett, 50, earlier this offseason.

Bengals, Jaguars Held Jonah Williams Trade Talks

May 15th, 2023 at 10:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

At least one known Jonah Williams suitor has surfaced. During an offseason in which Jawaan Taylor bolted for Kansas City and Cam Robinson received a PED suspension, the Jaguars showed interest in the disgruntled Bengals tackle.

The Bengals and Jaguars discussed a Williams trade, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports (on Twitter). These discussions commenced before the draft, and Jacksonville’s draft blueprint looks to have changed its outlook at the tackle position. The Jags made a concerted effort to use their late-first-round real estate to come away with Oklahoma prospect Anton Harrison. The team doing that (and picking up draft capital via trade-down maneuvers with the Giants and Bills) probably removed a Williams buyer from the equation.

This would have been an interesting fit for Williams, whose trade request came just after big-ticket Bengals free agent signing Orlando Brown Jr. displaced him at left tackle. While the NFL hit Robinson with the PED ban — the length of which remains unknown — and the six-year left tackle starter is coming off a late-season meniscus tear, he will presumably be back at some point before midseason. These circumstances would have left Williams as a potential right-side solution for the Jags, who have since obtained Harrison to man that post.

As it stands now, Williams is on track to stay with the Bengals. The team has long been prepared to move its three-year blindside starter to right tackle, and Conway adds the former first-round pick is expected to report to the Bengals’ minicamp and begin his reluctant run on the right side.

Williams resides in a tough spot, being effectively demoted ahead of his contract year. The Bengals’ top O-lineman during their Super Bowl LVI charge, Williams suffered a dislocated kneecap that kept him off the field for the 2022 Bengals’ final two games. The Chiefs pounced on a Bengals line missing Williams, La’el Collins and Alex Cappa. With the Chiefs’ former left tackle in the fold, Williams, Collins and postseason left tackle sub Jackson Carman are ticketed for an unusual position battle.

Other teams will undoubtedly be monitoring Williams and Collins’ situations, considering the loser of this competition may become available via trade. Collins signed a three-year, $21MM contract in 2022, but the Bengals were not thrilled with the longtime Cowboy’s Cincy debut. Williams is going into his fifth-year option season, at $12.6MM, and stands to be one of the 2024 free agent market’s better O-linemen available. Two seasons remains on Carman’s rookie deal.

Bengals Add 13 UDFAs

May 13th, 2023 at 9:12am CST by Ben Levine

After making eight picks during the draft, the Bengals announced yesterday that they’ve added 13 undrafted free agents:

Jaxson Kirkland is one of the most intriguing UDFAs in the NFL. He considered declaring for both of the previous two drafts, and he was considered a top OT prospect for the 2022 selection show. However, a severe ankle injury forced him to opt out of that draft, and despite being productive during another season at Washington, he ended up going undrafted this year. The lineman’s versatility could make him an interesting piece on Cincinnati’s depth chart.

Despite adding Chase Brown in the draft, the Bengals still added a pair of RBs in free agency. Jacob Saylors starred at ETSU, finishing his 2022 season with 1,355 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Calvin Tyler Jr. also had a productive final two seasons at Utah State, scoring 15 total touchdowns. The Bengals could give a long look at each of these rookies to be the primary backup to Joe Mixon.

If Cincinnati does eventually look to break up their trio of top wideouts, they’d be looking for inexpensive reinforcement elsewhere. The team used a pair of draft picks on wide receivers, but they also added three UDFAs at the position. Mac Hippenhammer was the most productive of the undrafted grouping; he had 1,555 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns over the past two seasons for Miami of Ohio.

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