Cincinnati Bengals News & Rumors

Bengals Take DE Myles Murphy At No. 28

April 27th, 2023 at 10:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bengals have spent a high number of recent draft picks on the offensive side of the ball, but they invested their 2023 first-round pick on defense. Cincinnati has selected Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy with the No. 28 pick.

Murphy is the first Bengals first-round defensive lineman since Justin Smith back in 2001. While he is thus a rarity in that regard, he should be counted on as a productive contributor for the AFC North champions in both the short- and long-term future.

The Tigers experienced a general regression across their defensive front in 2022, and Murphy took a step back in terms of production. After an impressive 2021 campaign in which he posted eight sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss, the 6-4, 268-pounder saw those respective figures fall to 6.5 and 11 last year. He was still able to show flashes of his ability to effect both the run and pass game, though, keeping him in the first-round conversation leading up to the draft.

Murphy coupled his size and frame with a combination of speed and power to make him one of the more balanced edge players in this year’s impressive class, and give himself a wide range of potential NFL landing spots. In Cincinnati, he should be able to find a role for himself early on.

The Bengals have Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard in place atop their edge rushing depth chart. They ranked 29th in the league with only 30 sacks last year, however, illustrating a lack of established backup options at the position. Cincinnati added Joseph Ossai in the third round of the 2021 draft, and Murphy will join him as a young, developmental option. If he can regain his form from 2021, the latter could prove to be a very worthwhile addition.

Bengals, Bills Eyeing RB Jahmyr Gibbs

April 27th, 2023 at 5:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Jahmyr Gibbs continues to generate first-round buzz, and it sounds like a pair of AFC contenders have their eye on the Alabama product. According to Albert Breer of SI.com, both the Bills and Bengals have been tied to the running back.

Gibbs has continued to climb up draft boards in recent weeks following a productive season at Alabama. After transferring from Georgia Tech, Gibbs put together a 1,370-yards, 10-touchdown season with the Crimson Tide. Almost a third of his total yards came in the receiving game, leading scouts to assume that he’ll serve in a Swiss Army Knife-type role in the NFL.

While there have been some concerns regarding his 5-11, 200-pound frame, Gibbs has emerged as the draft’s clear No. 2 RB behind Texas prospect Bijan Robinson. ESPN’s Todd McShay recently wrote that Gibbs has received continued attention around the NFL from evaluators, and it’s gotten to the point where he is expected to be drafted in the first round.

The valuation of running backs has made it difficult to project the range for high-end prospects at the position. However, McShay noted that some teams have little in the way of a gap in ranking between Gibbs and Robinson, and both players are expected to hear their names called later tonight.

Buffalo (No. 27) would be a natural landing spot for Gibbs considering their uncertain depth chart, while Cincinnati (No. 28) would have to get creative with his usage considering the presence of Joe Mixon. Of course, they’re not the only teams with their eye on the player. Breer reiterates previously reported interest from the Giants and Chiefs, and the Dolphins have also been mentioned as a suitor.

Draft Rumors: Commanders, Chargers, Giants, Bengals, Bears

April 26th, 2023 at 10:09pm CST by Ely Allen

It’s the eve of the 2023 NFL Draft, and connections are being made left and right. Every team has hosted several prospects and done their fair share of homework. Here’s a few things we’re hearing in the hours leading up to the draft:

The Commanders can go in a lot of directions at the exact midpoint of the first round. They’ve been connected to offensive tackle and cornerback prospects in most situations. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, though, Washington’s executive vice president of football/player personnel Marty Hurney is a big advocate for Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson. The team has committed to last year’s fifth-round pick Sam Howell as their starting quarterback for 2023, as well as bringing in Jacoby Brissett as an experienced backup. Drafting Richardson would likely be a sit-and-learn situation while either Howell or Brissett man the starting spot under center.
The Chargers have been rumored to be looking ahead in this year’s draft towards next year’s needs, according to Breer. Even though wide receiver is clearly not a need with Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Josh Palmer, Williams may end up as a cap casualty after this season with a pending $32.46MM cap hit in 2024. This could lead to Los Angeles getting ahead of that hole and drafting a wideout in the first round this year. Breer hears the team really likes Boston College receiver Zay Flowers.
Another team who could possibly be looking to cover a future contract situation, the Giants are reportedly fairly high on Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs, according to Breer. With contract negotiations with veteran Saquon Barkley being reported as tenuous, it’s hard to imagine general manager Joe Schoen further stirring the pot with another first-round running back. It would provide the team with a backup option if negotiations with Barkley turn sour, though.
The Bengals ranked 29th in 2022 for team sacks and are reportedly looking for more pass rushing help on the interior defensive line, according to Breer. At the end of the first round, there’s only so many options. Georgia’s Jalen Carter surely won’t still be around at No. 28 overall. Clemson’s Bryan Bresee has some strong tools but is expected to need to improve his pass rushing arsenal. Pittsburgh’s Calijah Kancey is the only real answer here. With 14.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss over the last two years, the diminutive tackle projects as a discount Aaron Donald. If Kancey isn’t available or not what the Bengals are looking for, they could trade back or just wait for someone like Auburn’s Colby Wooden in the third or fourth round.
Lastly, the Bears have been frequently tied to offensive line prospect Peter Skoronski out of Northwestern. It’s unclear whether they like Skoronski as an improvement at tackle or a new starter on the inside, but if he’s available by the time the tenth pick rolls around, it’s hard to imagine Chicago passing up the nearby offensive lineman.

Bengals Pick Up Joe Burrow’s Fifth-Year Option

April 25th, 2023 at 2:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Minutes after the Vikings made the easy call to push Justin Jefferson‘s rookie contract through 2024, the Bengals will do the same with Jefferson’s former college quarterback. Cincinnati exercised Joe Burrow‘s fifth-year option Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

This will tie Burrow to a $29.5MM salary in 2024; that number is fully guaranteed. It is safe to expect Burrow to have fetched a bit more in guaranteed money by the time the 2024 season starts. The Bengals have started work on their franchise centerpiece’s extension, one expected to break NFL records. The Bengals subsequently announced the option decision, calling it a “mechanical step” toward a long-term Burrow partnership.

The Bengals timed their 2-14 season perfectly, bottoming out in Zac Taylor‘s first year at the helm. This gave them access to Burrow, who was coming off a Heisman season that included a then-record 60 touchdown passes during LSU’s unbeaten national championship campaign. Burrow leapfrogged Tua Tagovailoa as the favorite to go No. 1 overall during that season and became the top pick during 2020’s virtual draft. He is chiefly responsible for radically changing the Bengals’ trajectory.

Although Cincinnati went 4-11-1 in 2020, Burrow showed promise before an ACL tear ended his season. The Bengals, who shifted their strategy on free agency to complement Burrow’s rookie contract beginning in 2020, then armed their ascending quarterback with ex-LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase in 2021. That combination led Cincinnati to its third Super Bowl, completing a stunning run — based on preseason odds — that nearly ended with the Bengals hoisting their first Lombardi trophy. Burrow led the Bengals back to the AFC championship game in 2022, and although he fell to 3-1 against the Chiefs in that latest matchup with Patrick Mahomes, the 26-year-old passer should be expected to sign a historic contract this offseason.

Jalen Hurts‘ $51MM-per-year re-up will undoubtedly be Burrow’s starting point, and it would be a surprise if he or Justin Herbert did not enter next season as the NFL’s highest-paid player. Both are one-time Pro Bowlers, though Burrow leading the Bengals to five playoff wins — matching the franchise’s total in its previous 53 years of existence — does stand out.

Teams have preferred to extend franchise-level first-round QBs before their fourth seasons, with most non-QB first-round standouts needing to wait until their fifth-year option offseasons to land a second contract. Hurts, Mahomes, Kyler Murray, Deshaun Watson and Josh Allen have each signed lucrative extensions before their fourth seasons. Mike Brown has mentioned the Mahomes model as a contract structure he supports, but no quarterback has opted for the extreme team-friendly structure — a 10-year pact — the Chiefs megastar has. It will be interesting to see how the Bengals-Burrow talks go, but updates should be coming fairly soon regarding the numbers and structure the Burrow camp seeks.

Latest On Bengals RT La’el Collins

April 25th, 2023 at 9:57am CST by Adam La Rose

The left tackle position has been a key talking point in Cincinnati this offseason with the signing of Orlando Brown Jr. leaving Jonah Williams‘ future in question. The team’s 2022 starter on the other side of the line provided an encouraging update on his status heading into next season.

Right tackle La’el Collins is in the process of rehabbing his left knee after suffering ACL and MCL tears in Week 16. That injury put an end to his debut Bengals campaign, and left him facing a lengthy recovery process. His remarks on the matter point to a return to full health, albeit at an unknown point in the 2023 season.

“I can’t give you a timetable,” Collins said, via ESPN’s Ben Baby. “I’m not the guy that makes the ultimate decision. But at the end of the day, I feel like if I had to play today, I could put a brace on it and I could go to work. I know my knee is locked in and stable… I feel great.”

The 29-year-old signed in Cincinnati on a three-year, $21MM deal as part of the team’s continuing effort to improve their offensive front. Collins joined the Bengals with high expectations given his level of play with the Cowboys, but he was unable to deliver on them. The former UDFA was strong in run blocking but struggled considerably in pass protection, leaving him ranked 68th out of 81 qualifying tackles, per PFF.

The Bengals have continued to be aggressive in their pursuit of upgrading the offensive line, inking Brown to a four-year, $64MM contract to take over as their starting left tackle. In response, Williams requested a trade, but if the team elects to keep him in the fold, the former first-rounder could see himself in a training camp competition for the starting RT spot. Collins could be central to that, if his recovery continues on its current path.

“With everything we have moving forward right now with the rehab and everything, too, I know I’m going to go into this season a whole lot healthier than I was last year,” he said. “I think it’s going to be night and day.”

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Browns, Awuzie

April 21st, 2023 at 12:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Allen Robinson passing his physical will send him to a fourth NFL team. The Rams will assume much of Robinson’s 2023 payout — as a result of the three-year, $46.5MM deal they authorized in 2022 — and could only offload that contract for a 17-spot jump in the seventh round. The Steelers adjusted Robinson’s contract further before the trade became official, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicating (via Twitter) the wide receiver will collect a $3.84MM signing bonus from his new team. That will help reduce his cap hit. As for 2024, Rapoport adds Robinson’s base salary will drop from $15MM to $10MM. Two void years are also present on Robinson’s Steelers deal, per OverTheCap, which indicates the 10th-year veteran will be tied to a $5MM cap number this year and a $10MM hit in 2024. While Robinson’s $5MM 2023 salary is locked in, nothing is guaranteed for 2024.

The Steelers sought an experienced option at receiver, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac, due to second-year players George Pickens and Calvin Austin being expected to play significant roles in 2023 (Twitter link). Robinson will join Diontae Johnson, who is going into his fifth season, as veteran options. This might lead to the Steelers addressing other positions with their Day 2 draft capital; the team has taken eight wideouts on the draft’s second day since 2013.

Here is the latest from the AFC North:

Four years after working together on a dysfunctional Browns team, Odell Beckham Jr. and Todd Monken reunited with the Ravens. Beckham said he and the recently hired Baltimore OC have a great relationship. In 2019, however, Monken served as a non-play-calling OC under Freddie Kitchens, who was fired after one season. Midway through that disappointing Browns slate, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot notes Beckham initiated a clear-the-air meeting with Monken in an effort to move parties onto the same page. Browns wideouts perceived Kitchens and the team’s QBs at the time to be “cliquey,” and the disconnect led to shouting matches between wideouts and coaches. The Browns disbanded the Beckham-Baker Mayfield partnership midway through the 2021 season. Although Monken ran the offensive meetings during the week in 2019, Cabot adds the future Georgia staffer did not have much play-calling input. The Ravens will count on Monken, who now has a third NFL OC opportunity, and OBJ to elevate their offense next season.
Amari Cooper may miss some offseason time due to a core surgery he underwent this offseason. Cooper did not miss any games last season, but Cabot adds he underwent this procedure in February. Kevin Stefanski said the team will not rush Cooper back, so it stands to reason the ninth-year wideout may not be a full OTAs participant. Cooper, 28, put together his sixth 1,000-yard season in 2022; two years remain on his Cowboys-constructed contract.
It might take a bit longer for Chidobe Awuzie to return to work with the Bengals. The veteran cornerback suffered a torn ACL during a Halloween matchup against the Browns. He is targeting a return by Week 1, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets. The Bengals no longer have Eli Apple under contract, but they signed Sidney Jones in free agency. Jones joins Mike Hilton and Cam Taylor-Britt as the top healthy Bengal corners. One season remains on Awuzie’s deal.
While the Steelers gave Bud Dupree a physical, Dulac notes the former Pittsburgh first-rounder’s free agency visit did not include contract talks. Dupree, who played for the Steelers from 2015-20, signed a one-year, $3MM deal with the Falcons last week. A number of veteran edge rushers — Yannick Ngakoue, Frank Clark, Leonard Floyd and Jadeveon Clowney among them — remain unsigned. The Steelers will likely be seeking a low-cost option to be their third edge rusher behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Malik Reed held that role last year; Reed has since joined the Dolphins.

Contract Details: Hurts, Robinson, Ward, Perryman, Anderson

April 19th, 2023 at 10:06pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on deals signed recently around the NFL:

Jalen Hurts, QB (Eagles): Five years, $255MM. We had received some broad numbers from the deal, and some details still elude us, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter provided some cap numbers recently. Hurts will represent a $6.15MM cap hit in 2023, $13.56MM in 2024, $21.77MM in 2025, and $31.77MM in 2026.
Allen Robinson, WR (Steelers): Three years, $46.5MM. We covered some details, like how the Rams will pay most of Robinson’s 2023 salary in a nearly two-to-one split. According to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, the Rams will additionally take on $21.45MM of dead money for Robinson moving forward, pushing them up to about $74MM of dead cap in 2023.
Jimmie Ward, S (Texans): Two years, $13MM. The deal, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, has a guaranteed amount of $8.5MM consisting of a $4MM signing bonus, Ward’s 2023 base salary of $2.5MM, and $2MM of his 2024 base salary (worth $5.5MM total). Ward will receive a per game active roster bonus of $29,411 for a potential season total of $500,000. The contract also includes an annual playing time incentive. If Ward plays 60% of the team’s defensive snaps, he’ll receive an additional $250,000. He’ll get two more $250,000 bonuses for reaching both the 70% and 80% snap share totals, as well.
Denzel Perryman, LB (Texans): One year, $2.6MM. We were aware that Perryman could push the value of his deal to $3.5MM with incentives, but thanks to Wilson, we now know how he can do that. The additional $900,000 is based on playing time. Perryman can earn $300,000 bonuses for reaching each of the 60%, 70% and 80% thresholds of defensive snap shares for the Texans.
Eric Rowe, S (Panthers): One year, $1.32MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $852,500 consisting of a $152,500 signing bonus and $700,000 of Rowe’s base salary (worth a total of $1.17MM).
Kris Boyd, CB (Cardinals): One year, $1.23MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a signing bonus of $152,500 and a base salary of $1.08MM.
Dante Pettis, WR (Bears): One year, $1.23MM. The deal, according to Wilson, includes a signing bonus of $152,500 and a base salary of $1.08MM.
Troy Reeder, LB (Vikings): One year, $1.23MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $100,000 consisting partially of a $25,000 signing bonus. Reeder’s base salary will be $1.08MM, and he can receive an additional workout bonus $25,000 and a roster bonus of $102,500 if he’s active Week 1. The deal includes a per game active roster bonus of $6,029 for a potential season total of $102,500.
Drew Sample, TE (Bengals): One year, $1.23MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a signing bonus of $52,500 and a base salary of $1.08MM. Sample will also receive a roster bonus of $75,000 and a workout bonus of $25,000.
Armon Watts, DT (Steelers): One year, $1.23MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a signing bonus of $152,500 and a base salary of $1.08MM.
Elijah Wilkinson, OL (Cardinals): One year, $1.23MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $1.09MM consisting of a $152,500 signing bonus and $940,000 of Wilkinson’s base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM).
Khadarel Hodge, WR (Falcons): One year, $1.2MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a base salary of $1.08 and a roster bonus of $120,000 if he is active for Atlanta’s first game of the season. The deal also includes a per game active roster bonus of $7,500 for a potential season total of $127,500.
Chosen Anderson, WR (Dolphins): One year, $1.17MM. The deal, according to Wilson, includes a signing bonus of $152,500.
John Penisini, DL (Panthers): One year, $940,000, according to Wilson.
Kevin Jarvis, OL (Bills): One year, $750,000, according to Wilson.

Joe Mixon Facing Misdemeanor Charge

April 19th, 2023 at 2:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 19: The Bengals running back pleaded not guilty to the charge Wednesday in Hamilton County Municipal Court, according to the Associated Press. A judge ordered Mixon have no contact with the woman.

APRIL 7: Joe Mixon will end up facing a misdemeanor charge of aggravated menacing. After the charge was dropped in February, Sharon Coolidge and Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer report Mixon will be recharged in connection with a January road-rage incident.

The Bengals running back allegedly pointed a gun at a woman during a traffic encounter, which occurred before the team was to gather at Paycor Stadium before departing for its divisional-round game in Buffalo. Mixon must appear in court April 19.

“This decision was reached following the discovery of new evidence during the investigative process,” a statement from Cincinnati police said, via the Enquirer. The Bengals released a statement indicating they are aware of the charge, Conway tweets.

Mixon, 26, allegedly pointed a gun at a woman at 12:49pm on Jan. 21 in downtown Cincinnati. While police initially dropped the charge in February, the door remained open to it being refiled upon further review. The woman who submitted the complaint indicated she will cooperate with authorities, Coolidge and Conway add.

The Bengals took some heat back in 2017 when they selected Mixon, who had been suspended from Oklahoma’s team for punching a woman in the face. A woman shoved and slapped Mixon during a July 2014 dispute at a restaurant; Mixon’s punch broke four bones in the woman’s face. The Sooners suspended Mixon for the 2014 season, but he returned and emerged on the draft radar after two productive seasons. The Bengals took Mixon in the second round; he has been the team’s starting running back for most of his career.

Mixon agreed to a deferred sentence in connection with the assault, undergoing counseling and performing community service. As a result, no conviction appears on his record. Since the incident occurred before Mixon entered the NFL, he was not suspended. Mixon could be suspended for the January incident, however, regardless of the case’s outcome.

The Bengals, who gave Mixon a $12MM-per-year extension in 2020, have not committed to keeping him around for a seventh season. The team made an offer to retain Samaje Perine, but Mixon’s longtime backup opted to sign with the Broncos. But Cincinnati can save $10MM by designating Mixon as a post-June 1 cut. The Pro Bowler is due a $9.4MM base salary in 2023. Mixon’s contract runs through the 2024 season.

Bengals Expected To Ask Joe Mixon To Take Pay Cut

April 17th, 2023 at 7:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals figure to be on the radar for a notable running back investment in this year’s draft. Cincinnati’s longest-tenured starting back since Corey Dillon has long been on shaky ground to return for a seventh season.

It appears Joe Mixon will soon face a decision: take a pay cut or be cut. The Bengals are expected to ask the six-year starter to accept a pay reduction soon, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Signed through 2024, Mixon is attached to base salaries of $9.4MM (2023) and $9.7MM (’24). Bengals executive VP Katie Blackburn stopped well short of guaranteeing Mixon would be back when asked in March.

Mixon sits in a similar situation to Dalvin Cook, whom the Vikings are not guaranteed to keep. Both players signed extensions just before the 2020 season, with Cook’s deal ($12.6MM per year) coming in just north of Mixon’s ($12MM AAV). While Cook signed a five-year Vikes re-up, Mixon inked a four-year deal to be the Bengals’ long-term back. Cook is coming off a better year than Mixon, who averaged 3.9 yards per carry and finished with 814 on the ground in 14 games. Pro Football Focus ranked Mixon 57th out of 62 qualified backs in elusiveness last season.

This year’s running back market showed the grim reality Cook and Mixon could soon face. Being released at this juncture of the offseason generally leads to a pay reduction on the market, as teams spend much of their offseason funds early in free agency. Mixon and Cook being running backs stands to place a low cap on their value, especially in the event they become midyear free agents.

No back who signed a free agent contract in March cracked the top 10 in earnings at the position. Even as the cap rises, backs’ replaceability has led to the position’s top salary (Christian McCaffrey‘s $16MM-per-year deal) going unchanged over the past three years. McCaffrey signed his Panthers extension in April 2020.

Developments on this year’s market could lead to Cincinnati asking Mixon to take a substantial pay cut, as the former second-round pick has also run into another off-field issue. Mixon, 26, is facing a misdemeanor aggravated menacing charge stemming from a traffic incident ahead of the Bengals’ trip to Buffalo in January. The Bengals took a chance on the Oklahoma alum’s upside, drafting him despite the Sooners having once suspended him for breaking four bones in a woman’s face during a 2014 assault at a restaurant. More off-field trouble will not help Mixon’s cause, as a suspension could be in the cards for the veteran.

Mixon is one year removed from his best season, when he helped the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI by amassing career-high totals in scrimmage yards (1,509) and touchdowns (16). The Bengals also lost multiyear backup Samaje Perine in free agency. Cincinnati offered Perine a similar deal to the one he signed in Denver (two years, $7.5MM), but Mixon’s former Oklahoma teammate opted for a potentially bigger role — on a team with Javonte Williams rehabbing an ACL tear — rather than return. Perine’s defection complicates the Bengals’ backfield situation, though the team can augment it by drafting a running back early. The Bengals have taken second-round backs three times since 2013 (Mixon, Jeremy Hill, Giovani Bernard); Dillon was also a second-rounder back in 1997.

Should the Bengals designate Mixon as a post-June 1 cut, it would save them $10.1MM. For a team planning extensions, that is an appealing number. The Bengals have Joe Burrow and linebacker Logan Wilson on their extension radar, and the team shut down Tee Higgins trade talk ahead of his contract year. Higgins is interested in a Bengals extension, but Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase‘s statuses complicate his long-term Cincy stay.

On that front, neither Higgins nor Wilson reported for the start of the Bengals’ offseason program Monday. They joined disgruntled tackle Jonah Williams in not showing for the start of voluntary workouts, per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer, who adds Wilson is seeking an extension. Following the Bengals’ signing of Orlando Brown Jr. — a deal contingent upon the ex-Ravens and Chiefs blocker playing left tackle — Williams requested a trade. Modest interest has emerged; the Bengals will aim to keep the former first-round pick, who joins Higgins and Wilson in heading into a contract year. It is not uncommon for higher-profile players to skip part or all of offseason workouts, but the Bengals’ contract situation will obviously be one to monitor — especially now that Jalen Hurts raised the QB salary ceiling earlier today.

Utah TE Dalton Kincaid Cleared Before Draft

April 16th, 2023 at 6:38pm CST by Ely Allen

This year’s draft class is extremely deep at the tight end position, and one of the top prospects faced the additional challenge of a recent injury. Despite a back injury suffered late in the season, Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid has officially been cleared for football activity prior to the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Dr. Robert Watkins sent an email to NFL teams fully clearing the 23-year-old. “Dalton Kincaid sustained a back injury while playing football on 11/26/2022,” the email said. “Subsequent MRIs have shown appropriate healing, and he has been asymptomatic with no pain and no limitation of function for at least 3 months. He is cleared to play football with no restrictions.”

The injury caused him to miss the Senior Bowl and NFL scouting combine, and a shoulder injury forced him to miss time earlier in the year, as well. The injury issues don’t help concerns about his smaller frame for an NFL tight end. Yet, Kincaid is still a stellar pass-catching option who caught at least eight touchdowns in four of five college seasons (the fifth being the COVID-shortened season).

The full clearance is big for Kincaid, who is expected to be selected in the first round later this month. He and Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer are widely anticipated to go on Day 1, while Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave and Georgia’s Darnell Washington have a chance, as well. With such a deep class, a nagging back injury could’ve really hurt Kincaid’s draft stock; a full clearance should keep Kincaid with his status as a consensus top two tight end in the draft.

With injury concerns out of the way, Kincaid has had several visits planned with NFL teams. The Ute met with the Bengals and Patriots this past week and has plans to visit the Packers in the week to come. Prior to those visits, Kincaid had spent time with the Texans, Raiders, Chargers, Jaguars, Titans, Lions, Chiefs, and Cowboys.

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