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Bengals, Joe Burrow Begin Extension Talks

March 29th, 2023 at 2:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

Just like fellow 2019 draft class quarterback Justin Herbert, Bengals signal-caller Joe Burrow is eligible for a massive extension this offseason. To no surprise, the legwork for putting together a second contract is underway for both players.

The Bengals are turning their attention towards a second contract for Burrow, as noted this week by top contract negotiator Katie Blackburn. With the first few waves of free agency complete, Cincinnati’s top priority is maintaining as many members of their young core as possible, beginning of course with the former No. 1 pick.

“We’ve been thinking about it,” Blackburn said on the subject of a Burrow extension, via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We’ve had some preliminary discussions, but there’s free agency and such. So, we’ll see if we can get into it a little bit more maybe… it’s hard to say exactly what the pace [is] but we hope that there’s something that can get done.”

Burrow, 26, has put aside all doubt about his potential after his rookie season ended with an ACL tear. Helping lead the Bengals to consecutive AFC title games (and one Super Bowl appearance) over the past two years, he has established himself as one of the top passers in the league. That has him on track to become one of, if not the highest-paid players in the league once an extension is in place.

Regarding the structure of the Pro Bowler’s next accord, something similar to the one signed by Patrick Mahomes could be in the cards. Bengals owner Mike Brown pointed to that deal (10 years, $450MM in base value) as a favorable blueprint, as noted by Conway in a separate piece. The length of the Mahomes contract remains unrivaled in the NFL, but the Chiefs have enjoyed plenty of success to date with him on the books. Burrow’s age and production suggests a long-term investment would be relatively safe.

The particulars of what the LSU product is seeking, however, remain to be seen at this point. Not much urgency exists in one sense since Burrow can be kept under contract through the 2024 campaign via the fifth-year option. However, the Bengals (just like the Chargers with Herbert, and the Eagles with Jalen Hurts) would likely be well-served to get a deal done before the QB market undergoes its next upward surge with extensions for the latter two.

Five QBs currently average $45MM or more per season on their existing contracts. That figure is likely the floor for any Burrow extension, with a strong potential existing for an AAV notably higher than that. Over the coming weeks and months, the progress which is made in contract talks will be a key storyline for the Bengals and the rest of the quarterback landscape.

Bengals, CB Sidney Jones Agree To Deal

March 27th, 2023 at 12:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bengals have made a depth addition to their secondary. Cincinnati is signing cornerback Sidney Jones to a one-year deal, reports Jordan Schultz of The Score (Twitter link).

Jones, 26, spent the first three years of his career with the Eagles, starting eight of 22 games. Since then, he has spent time with the Jaguars, Seahawks and Raiders. In 2021, his 61% snap share pointed to a sizeable role on Seattle’s defense continuing into this past season, but that didn’t end up being the case.

With the Seahawks enjoying a hugely productive rookie campaign from Tariq Woolen and, to a lesser extent, Coby Bryant, Jones’ workload diminished in 2022. The latter saw the field for just 21% of defensive snaps, leaving the team to look for a trade partner ahead of the November deadline. With no suitor in place, the former second-rounder was waived.

Within a matter of days after that move, Jones had been signed by the Raiders. In Las Vegas, he saw an even smaller workload than he had earlier in the year with Seattle, and registered just one pass deflection. He will look to rebound from the 2022 season with a more stable year in Cincinnati. The Bengals represent a logical spot for him to do just that.

The AFC North champions were banged-up at the CB position last season, including Chidobe Awuzie suffering a torn ACL. In part because of his absence, the Bengals ranked 23rd in the league against the pass, averaging 229 yards allowed per game through the air. The team’s secondary has seen safety starters Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell depart in free agency, and veteran corner Eli Apple remains unsigned.

Jones will look to carve out at least a rotational role behind Awuzie and 2022 second-rounder Cam Taylor-Britt in the Bengals’ CB room. At a minimum, he will provide insurance in case Apple is not retained this offseason, as Cincinnati looks to improve in the secondary and continue to contend in the AFC next year.

Ezekiel Elliott Eyeing Eagles, Bengals, Jets

March 24th, 2023 at 4:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 24: Pouring water on the potential of an Elliott-to-Philadelphia move, John Clark of NBC Sports tweets that the Eagles have not yet talked with the three-time Pro Bowler about a contract. He adds that the reigning NFC champions are “happy” with their current situation in the backfield. That update illustrates the reality that Elliott’s preferred destinations represents a wish list on his part, more so than a shortlist of interested suitors.

MARCH 23: Although the Cowboys moved on from his lucrative contract last week, Ezekiel Elliott looks to have generated some interest elsewhere. He may have a new team before the end of the month.

Elliott wants to have a destination in place by the end of next week, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com notes the two-time rushing champion has narrowed his choices to the Eagles, Bengals or Jets (Twitter link). It is unclear if each team has offered Elliott a deal, but each has some level of need in the backfield.

The Bengals have shown interest, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets. They have already lost Samaje Perine to the Broncos. Perine said (via the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel) he chose Denver because of Sean Payton’s history using multiple running backs. Perine also looks to be insurance against Javonte Williams needing in-season time to finish up his ACL recovery.

The Bengals, however, wanted Perine back. They offered their Joe Mixon backup nearly identical terms to what he signed for in Denver, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Perine signed a two-year, $7.5MM deal with the Broncos. The Bengals have also stopped short of guaranteeing Mixon would be back. The seventh-year back’s $12MM-AAV extension runs through 2024 and calls for salaries north of $9MM this year and next. Elliott spelling Mixon might not be the plan here, with Conway pointing to this as an either/or situation.

As the Jets prepare to trade for Aaron Rodgers, they are moving aggressively to surround him with talent. Allen Lazard and Mecole Hardman are en route, and the team moved up in the draft by unloading Elijah Moore. The Jets join the Broncos in having their starting running back — Breece Hall — coming off an October ACL tear. The Jets showed interest in ex-Rodgers teammate Jamaal Williams, but the breakthrough Lions back chose the Saints.

Philadelphia, which once signed DeMarco Murray after Dallas let him walk in 2015, has added Rashaad Penny in free agency. That deal is more of a flier, considering the ex-Seahawks first-rounder’s injury history, but the Eagles also re-signed longtime backup Boston Scott and roster Kenneth Gainwell. Elliott could be a piece of this equation, but it would be uncharacteristic for Howie Roseman — who was demoted during Chip Kelly’s 2015 in power — to splurge for a back. But Elliott moving from the Cowboys to their biggest divisional threat would obviously be a captivating storyline.

Elliott, 27, has seen his snap share drop in each of the past four seasons, with Tony Pollard showcasing himself as the more efficient member of the Cowboys’ backfield. With the latter seeing more early-down work, Elliott has seen his role shift to that of a short-yardage specialist; that, coupled with his general decline, helped account for his career-low numbers in 2022 (876 yards at an average of 3.8 per carry). Those figures made it obvious that he would become a cap casualty for Dallas this offseason.

Now, Elliott appears close to the beginning of the second chapter of his NFL career. A deal sending him to any of the three aforementioned teams would likely involve plenty of work on third down given his recent short-yardage history but also his proficiency in pass protection. In any case, a new contract would be far more modest than what he was due on his now former Cowboys accord. The Bengals, unlike the Eagles and Jets, currently reside in the top-10 in the league in cap space, so they could win out a potential bidding war. How much interest each team shows in Elliott will be a key storyline to follow in the secondary waves of free agency.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Bengals LT Jonah Williams Drawing Interest From Several Teams

March 22nd, 2023 at 8:45am CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals’ Orlando Brown Jr. signing led to their three-year left tackle starter — Jonah Williams — requesting a trade. The team appears open to accommodating the former first-round pick.

Several teams have shown interest in Williams, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, and the Bengals have engaged in trade talks. Williams, 25, is heading into his fifth-year option season and is tied to a $12.6MM base salary. That figure is fully guaranteed.

Cincinnati’s initial plan was to slide Williams to right tackle, a position he has not played since his freshman season at Alabama (2016). Just as Brown did not want to move to the right side, where some teams viewed him as a better fit, Williams is resisting such a change. Also complicating matters for the reigning AFC north champions: La’el Collins is coming off ACL and MCL tears. With those injuries occurring on Christmas Eve, the former Cowboy is not a lock to start the season on time.

A team that trades for Williams would likely need to view him as an extension candidate, but the 2019 first-rounder is coming off a season in which he suffered multiple kneecap issues. The second of which kept him out of the Bengals’ playoff games in Buffalo and Kansas City. The Chiefs withstood Patrick Mahomes‘ limitations in the latter matchup by preying on a backup-laden Bengals front. This led to the Brown signing, and it could lead the team’s longest-tenured O-line starter out of town.

The Patriots are obviously not averse to acquiring starters via trade, and a low-level Riley Reiff signing has headlined their tackle moves. The Pats were believed to be searching for a right tackle in free agency; Reiff would technically fit the bill, but the ex-Bengal is going into his age-34 season. Trent Brown, whom the Pats initially acquired ahead of the final year of his rookie contract, played 17 games last season but has been unreliable since signing a big-ticket Raiders deal back in 2019. Brown, who is going into the second season of a two-year contract, is penciled in at left tackle.

The Jets have Duane Brown under contract, but he is coming off surgery and going into an age-38 season. The team moved Mekhi Becton to right tackle; the former first-rounder’s position has taken a backseat over the past two years, which have involved major knee injuries that have limited him to one game. Washington has Charles Leno signed through 2024 but was linked to left tackle options ahead of free agency, while Tampa Bay released eight-year left tackle starter Donovan Smith. The soon-to-be 30-year-old blocker also serves as an option for the left tackle-seeking teams around the league, as do college prospects. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rates five tackles — Peter Skoronski, Paris Johnson, Broderick Jones, Darnell Wright and Anton Harrison — as first-round-caliber players.

While Williams has made 42 starts and played a key role for a Super Bowl-qualifying team, his contract and this year’s rookie class stands to affect his trade value. Collins’ injury will make it unlikely the Bengals cave to Williams’ trade request without a viable return price, so it should not be considered a lock they move the now-disgruntled tackle. But Wednesday morning’s report indicates the team is not shutting down overtures.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/20/23

March 20th, 2023 at 10:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

The Giants are giving Leonard Johnson a three-year deal, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. The former Duke prospect suffered a torn ACL while training for the 2022 draft; the Giants worked him out Monday and saw enough to take a flier. While Ford made two starts for the Falcons last season, the ex-UDFA is best known for his special teams work. He saw action on 83% of Atlanta’s ST plays last season, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) the Bengals are giving him a one-year deal worth up to $2.25MM.

Both Scharping and Lonnie Johnson are former Texans second-round picks. The Texans waived Scharping on roster-cutdown day in August, but the Bengals claimed him. Although Scharping only played 30 snaps for Cincinnati last season, the team will keep him around for another run at a backup gig. Months before bailing on Scharping, the Texans traded Johnson to the Chiefs. But Kansas City did not see much from the acquisition in camp and waived him. The Titans picked up Johnson via waivers, using him as a backup. Johnson has experience at both cornerback and safety, and The Score’s Jordan Schultz adds he agreed to a one-year Saints deal (Twitter link).

Bengals Meet With TE Foster Moreau

March 18th, 2023 at 10:32am CST by Sam Robinson

For the second straight offseason, the Bengals let their starting tight end walk in free agency. After C.J. Uzomah left for a Jets deal in 2022, Hayden Hurst joined the Panthers earlier this week.

Cincinnati’s search for a new first-string tight end led to a visit with former Darren Waller backup Foster Moreau. The four-year veteran met with Bengals brass, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Moreau, 25, has played regularly for the Raiders due to Waller’s injuries over the past two seasons.

The Raiders trading Waller to the Giants (for a third-round pick) this week leaves them in need at the position. The Raiders having already extended Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow, to go along with Josh Jacobs‘ franchise tag and Jakobi Meyers‘ $11MM-per-year free agency agreement, likely will put them on the hunt for a low-cost veteran to potentially pair with a draft pick.

The Raiders have only Jesper Horsted and 2022 UDFA Cole Fotheringham on the roster at tight end. Moreau led Raiders tight ends with 33 receptions for 420 yards last season, when Waller’s lingering hamstring injury sidelined him for eight games. Moreau caught 30 passes for 373 yards in 2021, a season in which Waller missed six games.

The Bengals non-tendered Mitchell Wilcox as a restricted free agent last week, and 2019 second-round pick Drew Sample is also a free agent. Hurst, who signed a one-year deal with the team in 2022, joined the Panthers on a three-year deal worth $21.75MM ($13MM fully guaranteed) on Wednesday. As a result, the Bengals will likely add multiple tight ends to their equation this offseason.

A 2019 fourth-round pick out of LSU, Moreau joins Dalton Schultz and a few other notable names at the tight end spot in free agency. Following the Bears’ Thursday addition of ex-Packer Robert Tonyan, Friday brought more movement on the tight end market. The Patriots added Mike Gesicki, while the Browns signed Jordan Akins. The Chargers also brought back Donald Parham. These moves thinned the market, but Austin Hooper, Cameron Brate, Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith Jr.. join Schultz in free agency.

Bengals LT Jonah Williams Requests Trade

March 17th, 2023 at 11:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals signed Orlando Brown Jr. to a four-year, $64MM deal. That is in line with the right tackle position’s upper echelon, but the team is prepared to keep Brown at his preferred blindside post. That has become an issue for Cincinnati’s incumbent left tackle.

Jonah Williams has requested a trade, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The former first-round pick has been the Bengals’ starting left tackle for the past three seasons and is set to play his fifth-year option campaign in 2023.

It would seem the Bengals need to part ways with one of their returning tackle starters. Their plans with Brown would mean a Williams relocation either way — to right tackle or to another team. Williams is due a $12.6MM salary this season; the Bengals signed Brown to a deal that will pay him $16MM on average.

It is not yet known if the Bengals are willing to entertain trade talks here, as option B would mean moving on from La’el Collins. The team would save $6MM by cutting Collins, though the former Cowboys blocker is tied to the team at an affordable rate (three years, $21MM). Collins is due just $4.5MM in base salary this season.

Following Cincinnati’s Brown investment, offensive line coach Frank Pollack said Williams and Collins would engage in what would be a high-profile position battle. Pollack said Williams would be moving to right tackle.

“We see competition always brings out the best in everybody,” Pollack said during an appearance on Dave Lapham’s In the Trenches podcast (h/t Cincy Jungle). “We got [La’el Collins] rehabbing, we’ll move [Jonah Williams] over there. We’re excited for that to develop and bring out the best of what we’ve got in the room on the offensive line.”

Of course, Pollack will not exactly indicate the organization’s plans to move one of these options. Both would seemingly be above the competition level, but the Bengals operate like one of the league’s more old-school franchises. It would not be shocking to see the team take all three tackles into training camp, even if a Williams trade would bring the most in terms of assets. But the team may need all three tackles to start the year. Collins suffered ACL and MCL tears on Christmas Eve.

Williams battled back from missing his rookie year due to a shoulder injury; the Alabama product has started 42 games since making his debut in 2020. Williams, 25, also has experience at right tackle. He lined up there for the Crimson Tide as a freshman in 2016, playing opposite future Jaguars second-round pick Cam Robinson that year. Alabama slid Williams to the left side for his sophomore season, and he zoomed onto the first-round radar after two seasons at that spot.

Williams being a left tackle since Alabama’s 2017 national championship season would make a transition back to the right side difficult, and the Bengals acknowledged this at the Combine (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Giardi). Pro Football Focus viewed Williams as a top-35 tackle during Cincinnati’s 2021 season, when they experienced issues at just about every other spot up front despite winning an AFC title, but slotted him outside the top 60 in 2022.

Still, Brown being off the market would make Williams an attractive trade chip — even though there are not too many teams carrying left tackle needs at this point. The Titans signed Andre Dillard, while the Chiefs are planning to kick Jawaan Taylor to the left side. Kansas City is a nonfactor here, as Cincinnati would almost definitely not trade Williams to the defending champion. Ditto Pittsburgh, which could use a left tackle upgrade. The Buccaneers have been connected to moving Tristan Wirfs to the left side as well. The Jets may be in need at the position, though Duane Brown plans to play his age-38 season, while the Patriots are tentatively expected to bring back Trent Brown.

Bengals Sign S Nick Scott

March 17th, 2023 at 7:05pm CST by Ben Levine

Mar 17: Cincinnati has officially reached an agreement with former Rams safety Nick Scott, according to Adam Schefter. The two parties reportedly agreed to a three-year, $12MM deal as Scott is set to join the team he helped defeat in Super Bowl LVI.

Mar 16: The Bengals are zeroing in on a deal with Nick Scott. Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus tweets that Cincinnati is “working towards” a deal with the free agency safety. While the deal isn’t finalized, Spielberger says “progress [is] being made.” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler confirms (on Twitter) that the two sides are “working something up.”

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweeted earlier today that Scott was visiting with the Bengals. Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic tweets that “it was a great visit today for all involved,” and the two sides are now moving towards a contract.

The former seventh-round pick transformed from a special teamer into a starting-caliber defensive back during his time with the Rams. Scott only started one of his first 48 appearances for Los Angeles, although he took on a significantly larger role during the Rams’ run to a championship. Despite only starting one game during the 2021 campaign, Scott started all four playoff games for the Rams with Jordan Fuller out of the lineup. He compiled 14 tackles during that postseason run en route to a Super Bowl championship.

Scott mostly held on to his starting gig in 2022, starting 16 of his 17 appearances while setting career-highs in tackles (86), passes defended (five), forced fumbles (two), and interceptions (two). He only graded as Pro Football Focus’ 78th safety (among 88 qualifying players), although the site gave him one of the better grades at the position in rush defense. According to Rodrigue (on Twitter), the Rams had preliminary discussions with Scott about bringing him back for 2023.

With Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell out the door, the Bengals have been hunting for a safety to play opposite 2022 first-round pick Dax Hill. The Bengals will surely bring in more depth at the position, but Scott will likely get the first look in the starting lineup.

Bengals To Sign OT Orlando Brown Jr.

March 17th, 2023 at 12:20pm CST by Ben Levine

MARCH 17: Brown’s guarantee numbers are in. The new Bengals left tackle’s only guarantees come via the $31.1MM signing bonus. That money is due Sunday, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. He will be tied to only a $1.5MM base salary in 2023 and a $4.5MM base, along with a $4MM roster bonus, in 2024. Brown will earn $42.35MM over the deal’s first two years, Breer adds. Brown’s fully guaranteed number checks in sixth among left tackles.

Brown indicated the Chiefs’ 2022 offer did not include enough guaranteed money. While his Bengals AAV and guarantee number do not quite match the $23MM per year and $38MM fully guaranteed the Chiefs were offering, respectively, those figures were tied to a six-year proposal. Brown will be tethered to the Bengals through his age-30 season and will have a chance at another negotiation earlier than he would have had he accepted the Chiefs’ summer offer.

MARCH 15: After winning a Super Bowl with the Chiefs, Orlando Brown Jr. is heading to a conference foe. The free agent offensive tackle is finalizing a deal with the Bengals, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).

It will be a four-year, $64MM deal with Cincinnati, notes Pelissero. The front-loaded contract also includes a $31MM signing bonus, the largest ever for an offensive lineman. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that two-thirds of the contract is guaranteed, and the contract will only make Brown the 17th-highest-paid offensive tackle in the NFL.

Brown played out the 2022 season on the franchise tag, earning him $16.7MM. The Chiefs were rumored to be prepared to re-tag Brown, but they passed on doing so, all but ensuring that he’d hit unrestricted free agency. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweets that the veteran was insistent on staying at left tackle, and the Bengals will allow him to do just that.

“I’m super thankful for the opportunity to carry on my father’s legacy and be a left tackle,” Brown told Garafolo (Twitter link). “It was important to be able to play that position and play for a winning team and a winning quarterback. Who Dey!”

Brown has established himself as one of the league’s top tackles while protecting Lamar Jackson in Baltimore and Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. He was traded to the Chiefs in 2021 and has earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of his two seasons with the organization. This past year, he appeared in all 17 games en route to a Super Bowl championship. Pro Football Focus graded Brown as the NFL’s 19th-best offensive tackle among 81 qualifiers, the fourth straight year he’s finished in the top-half at the position.

Last offseason, the Bengals were busy investing money in their offensive line as they looked to keep quarterback Joe Burrow upright. The team ended up signing La’el Collins, Alex Cappa, and Ted Karras for a combined $21MM in guaranteed money. Those three players each contributed more than 950 offensive snaps, as did fellow starters Cordell Volson and Jonah Williams.

All of those players are still under contract, and it remains to be seen who Brown will be knocking out of the lineup. Williams was generally the team’s LT in 2022, although Collins was the tackle with the worst Pro Football Focus grade in 2022. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com tweets that the Bengals rarely bail on acquisitions after only one season, although cutting Collins would save the team $6MM against the cap.

Brown, 26, turned down the Chiefs’ extension offer at last year’s July deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions. Kansas City offered Brown a six-year, $139MM deal that would have topped Trent Williams‘ $23MM-AAV record for offensive linemen. While this Cincinnati pact obviously carries a much lower AAV, Brown cited insufficient guarantees as the reason he passed on the Chiefs’ offer. The team offered Brown $52.5MM in total guarantees and $38MM fully guaranteed. Brown bet on himself, stayed healthy and landed his long-term deal. Given what the Chiefs offered last year, it will be interesting to learn the full details of Brown’s Bengals contract.

Bengals Sign OL Cody Ford

March 16th, 2023 at 5:35pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bengals continue to make additions to their offensive line. The team announced that they’ve signed offensive tackle Cody Ford to a one-year contract.

Ford was a second-round pick by the Bills, but he only lasted three seasons in Buffalo before getting dumped to Arizona. He continued serving in his standard reserve role with the Cardinals in 2022, starting three of his 11 appearances while seeing the field for 350 offensive snaps.

The 26-year-old has spent time at both guard positions and right tackle. Pro Football Focus hasn’t been particularly fond of his performance at any position, but his versatility should still come in handy for Cincinnati. There’s a chance La’el Collins sticks around as a backup lineman, but there’s a better chance the 2022 starter is cut or traded, opening a role for Ford as a top backup.

The Bengals made headlines yesterday when they inked Orlando Brown Jr. to a contract. According to Albert Breer of TheMMQB (via Twitter), the Bengals couldn’t deny the opportunity to acquire an elite blocker at a reasonable price ($16MM). One of Brown’s free agent demands was that he wanted to continue playing left tackle, and it looks like the Bengals will oblige. Per Breer, the team is planning to move 2022 LT starter Jonah Williams to right tackle, and they’ll make a decision on incumbent RT Collins “down the line.”

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