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Cincinnati Bengals News & Rumors

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.

AFC North Draft Rumors: Steelers, Ravens, Bengals

April 15th, 2023 at 6:06pm CST by Ely Allen

There have been quite a few rumors surrounding the Steelers’ potential approach to the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette held a Q&A this week to discuss his thoughts on some of those rumors.

Many fans had questions about potential options at wide receiver, and Dulac made his thoughts very clear: no higher than the third round. With Diontae Johnson and George Pickens in place, Dulac doesn’t see any need to dip into the first two rounds to add to the group. He mentions Ole Miss wide receiver Jonathan Mingo as a name to lookout for, as Mingo has been predicted to go around the third or fourth round.

Another fan asked about the possibility of Pittsburgh trading up in the first round. Dulac dismissed the rumors as just that, insinuating that looking into trades is a common occurrence for the Steelers that doesn’t always lead to action. He referenced last year, when the team reportedly looked into trading up for quarterback Kenny Pickett, who would end up falling to them at their original position, anyway.

Here are a few other draft rumors from around the AFC North:

Bengals Re-Sign TE Drew Sample

April 14th, 2023 at 2:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Losing their starting tight end in free agency for a second straight offseason, the Bengals may be looking to add at the position in the draft. But they brought back one of their previous high picks at the position Friday as well.

Drew Sample is returning to Cincinnati on a one-year deal, according to the team. The Bengals used a second-round pick on Sample back in 2019, and the former C.J. Uzomah and Hayden Hurst backup/blocking specialist will outlast both in Ohio. Hurst signed with the Panthers — on this year’s most lucrative free agency tight end deal — early in free agency.

An early-season knee injury, which required surgery, limited Sample to two games last year. Prior to this Bengals reunion, Sample visited the Cardinals. Rather than join a retooling team with Zach Ertz and Trey McBride in the fold, he will stay in Cincy’s Joe Burrow-piloted offense. Sample will now join Irv Smith Jr. in the Bengals’ tight end room; the former Vikings second-round pick signed with the Bengals this offseason.

Sample, who will turn 27 on Sunday, has not factored into the Bengals’ passing attack prominently since arriving as the No. 52 overall pick four years ago. The 6-foot-4 tight end has only topped 100 receiving yards in one season. But he did play 868 offensive snaps during the 2020 slate, topping out with 40 catches for 349 yards and his only career touchdown. Since, Sample has just 13 receptions.

But the Bengals have predominantly used the former Washington performer in the run game. Sample worked extensively as a blocker during his rookie contract. Although it is not certain Joe Mixon will be back for a seventh season, the Bengals plan on having Sample helping Mixon or his replacement find running room in 2023.

Draft Rumors: Murphy, Banks, Branch, Forbes, Torrence

April 12th, 2023 at 12:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the top edge defenders available in the draft, Clemson’s Myles Murphy will have a busy week. The 6-foot-5 pass rusher met with the Jaguars earlier this week, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets, and Bengals, Falcons and Texans visits are on tap for one of Clemson’s two first-round-caliber D-line talents. Joining D-tackle Bryan Bresee on this front, Murphy submitted a consistent resume at the ACC power. In three seasons, the 268-pound edge recorded 18.5 sacks and 36 tackles for loss. The Jaguars, who have drafted an edge in Round 1 three times since 2019, go on the clock at No. 24. The Bengals, who have Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard signed beyond 2023, hold the No. 28 pick. The Texans (Nos. 2, 12) and Falcons (No. 8) are needier on the edge, but their draft slots might not align with a player ranked just outside the top 20.

Here is the latest from the draft:

  • Both Scouts Inc. and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah grade Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks just outside the top 20 as well, but he appears to be interviewing well with teams and trending upward. The Commanders, Ravens and Steelers are three of the teams impressed by Banks, per the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, who adds others are intrigued by the 6-foot cover man. The Raiders will host the former Big Ten defender today, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. The Steelers will be connected to Round 1 corners, having lost Cameron Sutton, and the Ravens have not re-signed Marcus Peters. Both Washington and Pittsburgh cut William Jackson over the past seven months. The Raiders, who have not re-signed Rock Ya-Sin, seemingly have a perpetual cornerback need.
  • In addition to Emmanuel Forbes‘ Lions visit, the Mississippi State corner is a popular pre-draft guest. The Cowboys, Eagles, Patriots, Steelers, Titans and Vikings are on his visit schedule, Jon Sokoloff of WCBI tweets, with Wilson adding the Bengals and Commanders will take a look as well. Forbes’ frame will certainly come up at these meetings. Despite posting a Division I FBS-record six pick-sixes and intercepting 14 passes in three seasons, Forbes being 6-foot and 166 pounds will be an issue for teams. Nevertheless, he profiles as a late-first-round talent.
  • Staying on the DB front, Alabama’s Brian Branch might be the best bet for safety-needy teams in what is viewed as a weak class at the position. The Falcons, Commanders, Raiders, Texans and Vikings are on Branch’s pre-draft itinerary, per Wilson, who adds the Bills have a workout scheduled for the multiyear Crimson Tide contributor as well. Branch has extensive slot experience as well, providing potential flexibility for teams considering him in the late first round.
  • Like Branch, Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence profiles as the top player at his position going into the draft. The Louisiana transfer became a consensus All-American in 2022, and the Bills, Commanders and Steelers have auditioned him thus far, per Wilson and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter links). Each of these teams have added at guard already this offseason. The Steelers signed both Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig, while the Bills signed Connor McGovern. The Commanders signed ex-Giant Nick Gates but have plans to use him at center, where he played before a severe September 2021 injury sidetracked his career.

AFC North Notes: Bengals, Rudolph, Ravens

April 8th, 2023 at 11:55am CST by Ben Levine

The Bengals will have some important financial decisions to make in the coming months. Quarterback Joe Burrow is eyeing a sizable pay day on his first NFL extension, but the organization will also have to make important decisions on wideout Tee Higgins and linebacker Logan Wilson.

Naturally, the front office is hoping they’ll be able to retain their entire core. Speaking to reporters the other day, Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn stated that the organization would like to re-sign all of their notable extension-eligible players, and she added that Burrow’s impending contract shouldn’t impact the status of players like Higgins or Wilson.

“They’re all great guys that we love having and want to have for a while on our team,” she said (via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer). “So just a process that always plays out how it plays out however it plays out we’ll be looking at all of the options and alternatives and thinking about what we might be able to get done.”

Wilson, a 2020 third-round pick, has emerged as one of Cincy’s most reliable defenders. He’s started all 28 of his regular season appearances over the past two years, collecting 223 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles. Considering the organization’s eventual investment in their offense, it makes sense that they’d want to retain one of their defensive leaders.

Meanwhile, many have wondered if the Bengals will be able to afford both Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, who is eligible for an extension next offseason. Blackburn noted that the front office has time on their side as they look to fit in extensions for their key players, but she also hinted that the team’s ability to re-sign the two wide receivers will be dependent on the players themselves.

“We’ll find out,” Blackburn responded when asked if the Bengals could afford both receivers. “You know it, there are so many things that come into play. So, we’ll just play it by ear as we go and do our best to see where we can get to.”

More notes out of the AFC North…

  • The Steelers have Kenny Pickett and Mitchell Trubisky atop their quarterbacks depth chart, but the front office could continue to add to the position. According to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, the organization would like to add a developmental quarterback to the mix. As the writer notes, that QB would likely be added via the draft, although he notes that the organization could choose to bring back Mason Rudolph, who is still only 27.
  • The Ravens are currently armed with the 22nd pick in the draft, but it remains to be seen if they’ll end up making a selection at that point in the draft. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic writes that the Ravens are probably more likely to trade back than they are to make a selection at No. 22. The Ravens only have five picks in the upcoming draft, and while the front office may state publicly that they’re fine with the lack of selections, Zrebiec opines that they’ll be hunting for more picks. General manager Eric DeCosta previously hinted that the organization could be looking to make a trade in the first round. “We’ve got five picks. We wish we had more,” the GM said (via Zrebiec). “Our goal is probably to get more along the way if we can, depending on how things fall. But we see a great opportunity for us to add some quality players and be a better football team.”
  • There have been a few coaching changes in the division. James Urban, who was previously the Ravens’ quarterbacks coach, and Craig Ver Steeg, who was Baltimore’s running backs coach, have been reassigned to senior football analyst/game-planning roles, per Zrebiec. The team also switched Keith Williams from pass game specialist to assistant wide receivers coach. Meanwhile, the Steelers announced that they’ve hired Glenn Thomas to be an offensive assistant coach. Thomas brings more than 20 years of coaching experience in both college and the NFL.

Bengals To Meet With QB Trevor Siemian

April 4th, 2023 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

A former seventh-round pick, Trevor Siemian has managed to overcome the odds and become an NFL regular for nearly a decade. The ex-Broncos starter remains a viable backup option, and the Bengals will take a look.

Siemian will head to Cincinnati for a Wednesday meeting, James Palmer of NFL.com tweets. While the Northwestern alum has not been a regular starter since his three-year Broncos tenure wrapped after the 2017 season, teams have continued to add him as a backup.

The Bears released Siemian last month, cutting ties after they had inked the veteran to a two-year, $4MM deal in 2022. Since being traded from the Broncos to the Vikings in 2018, Siemian has played for the Jets, Titans, Saints and Bears. His most notable post-Denver work came in New Orleans in 2021, when a Saints team riddled with QB injuries used him as a four-game starter. New Orleans lost all four games, though the team did defeat Tampa Bay after Siemian replaced an injured Jameis Winston in October 2021.

The Bengals no longer have multiyear Joe Burrow backup Brandon Allen under contract. Allen had been with Cincinnati for the past three seasons. No team has signed the career reserve, but Siemian does offer considerably more in-game seasoning by comparison. The 2015 draftee has started 30 career games.

Siemian, 31, has a clear connection to the Bengals. OC Brian Callahan was in Denver as an offensive assistant during Siemian’s rookie season, when he played behind Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler. The Broncos, after refusing to match the Texans’ Osweiler offer in 2016, turned to Siemian to start their Super Bowl title defense season. Despite having selected Paxton Lynch in the 2016 first round, Denver kept Siemian as its primary starter for most of the next two seasons. Callahan was only present in 2015, however, having joined the Lions’ staff shortly after Super Bowl 50.

Beyond Burrow, only former UDFA Jake Browning resides on Cincinnati’s roster at quarterback. Browning has been with the Bengals for two seasons, but the Super Bowl contenders are eyeing a more seasoned backup.

NFL Contract Details: Woods, Fenton, Gaines, Jones, Mills

April 2nd, 2023 at 5:56pm CST by Ely Allen

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

  • Jalen Mills, CB (Patriots): One year, $3.75MM. The new contract, according to Doug Kyed of AtoZ Sports, has a guaranteed amount of $2.25MM consisting of a $1.25MM signing bonus and $1MM of Mills’s base salary (worth a total of $1.75MM). Mills had taken a $3.5MM pay cut in order to stay with the team, but New England provided him with $3.6MM of potential incentives based on playing time. Mills can earn $600,000 for each of these thresholds of defensive snap count percentages: 42, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90. The deal also includes a per game active roster bonus of $29,411 for a potential season total of $500,000.
  • Greg Gaines, DT (Buccaneers): One year, $3.5MM. We reported a bit about the defensive tackle’s guaranteed deal worth a potential maximum of $4MM. Greg Auman of FOX Sports has added the detail that the contract has four void years to help spread out Gaines’s cap hit.
  • Rashad Fenton, CB (Cardinals): One year, $1.23MM. The contract, according to Balzer, has a guaranteed amount of $76,250 composed solely of the signing bonus. Fenton’s base salary is worth $1.08MM. He can earn an additional $76,250 as a roster bonus if he’s active for the team’s Week 1 matchup.
  • Josh Woods, LB (Cardinals): One year, $1.23MM. The deal, according to Howard Balzer of PHNX, has a guaranteed amount of $777,500 consisting of a $152,500 signing bonus and $625,000 of Woods’s base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM).
  • Sidney Jones IV, CB (Bengals): One year, $1.13MM. The deal, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, is for the veteran league minimum. Jones can make an additional $50,000 in a roster bonus if he’s active in the team’s Week 1 matchup.

AFC North Notes: Mixon, Browns, Steelers

March 31st, 2023 at 7:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nearly three weeks into free agency, Joe Mixon remains on the Bengals‘ roster. The team having seen Samaje Perine turn down an offer to stay and instead choose Denver thinned out its running back room. But Mixon’s status for a seventh Bengals season is not yet a lock. Bengals executive VP Katie Blackburn stopped short of guaranteeing the six-year Cincinnati starter will be back, reminding of comments player personnel VP Duke Tobin made at the Combine.

“Right now, he’s on the team and we are going count on him until that wouldn’t be the case,” Blackburn said, via the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway. “Right now, he’s our starting guy. You’ve seen other teams have to make moves. Could we get to that point? Maybe. But it would be down the road here and we’d have to see if that’s what makes sense or not.”

This situation could hinge on how the Bengals approach the position in the draft. Mixon, 26, is due a $9.4MM base salary and is tied to the third-highest cap figure ($12.8MM) on the team. Blackburn did not rule out the possibility of a post-June 1 cut designation, which would save Cincy $10MM, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicated recently (h/t Bleacher Report) the Bengals are looking to add at running back. (They were linked to Ezekiel Elliott, but little has emerged on that front since.) The Perine offer may have been indicative of Mixon plans. The team could still pair Mixon with a rookie, but it does have some pricey deals — most notably for Joe Burrow — on the horizon. Mixon’s $12MM-per-year deal could be used to create more cap space.

Here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • The Browns attempted a bigger swing at defensive tackle in free agency. Dalvin Tomlinson became an expensive consolation prize, with Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer noting the team was one of the final two suitors for Javon Hargrave. The standout D-tackle signed a four-year, $84MM 49ers deal, denying the DT-needy Browns one of this year’s biggest free agency fish. Cleveland regrouped with Tomlinson, who signed a four-year, $57MM pact. The Browns, who did little at D-tackle ahead of a poor run-defense season in 2022, preferred Tomlinson to fellow target Dre’Mont Jones, Cabot adds. Tomlinson’s acumen as a run defender attracted the Browns more, as Jones profiles as an inside pass rusher rather than a run stopper.
  • Staying in Cleveland, the Browns no longer have a second-round pick thanks to the Elijah Moore pick-swap trade. The Browns eyed Moore since his trade request emerged last year, GM Andrew Berry said (via Cabot). After a dispute with then-Jets OC Mike LaFleur, Moore requested a trade. The Jets were adamant they did not want to trade Moore at the time, but after they signed Allen Lazard and Mecole Hardman, the Ole Miss alum became expendable. Still, Cabot adds Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh vouched for Moore’s character to the Browns ahead of the trade.
  • The Steelers traded Chase Claypool for a second-round pick last year, and given their reputation for selecting Day 2 wideouts, it should not surprise the team is being connected to such a move once again. The team will seek an upgrade in the slot, GM Omar Khan said (via The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly). Hopeful slot weapon Calvin Austin III missed his entire rookie year due to injury. The team should be considered likely to address this need by Round 3, Kaboly adds in a separate piece. From 2013-22, the Steelers chose eight wideouts on Day 2. Both their current top two receivers — Diontae Johnson and George Pickens — were Friday-night draftees.
  • It does not sound like the Ravens will use a notable resource to replace Ben Powers. John Harbaugh alluded to another competition — one featuring former third-round pick Ben Cleveland, ex-Raiders draftee John Simpson, swingman Patrick Mekari and 2022 fourth-round tackle Daniel Faalele (who is 6-foot-9) as options — being how the team will replace Powers, who won a left guard battle last year. Powers, who scored a four-year Broncos deal worth $52MM, beat out Cleveland in training camp. A draft choice could be added here, but The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec does not anticipate a high pick going to this spot.

Bengals To Add DE Tarell Basham

March 31st, 2023 at 1:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Working to bolster their edge-rushing depth, the Bengals are adding a six-year veteran to the mix. Tarell Basham agreed to terms with the team Friday, according to his agency (on Twitter).

The former third-round pick who played for two teams last season will return to Ohio, where he played his college ball. The ex-Ohio Bobcat spent last season with the Cowboys and Titans. Basham, 29, will now prepare to vie for a rotational role behind starting Bengals defensive ends Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson.

Basham has already played for four teams in his career, beginning with the Colts before moving to the Jets. He has twice been waived in-season, seeing the Colts and Cowboys cut bait. Dallas did so last year, having seen Basham go down with a quad injury in Week 1 and the likes of Dante Fowler and Sam Williams become its preferred edge-rushing depth pieces. The Cowboys attempted to dangle Basham in trades but found no takers.

The Cowboys gave Basham a two-year, $5.5MM deal in 2021. He helped Dan Quinn revive Dallas’ defense that year, registering 3.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits. That came after he totaled 3.5 sacks and 13 QB hits for the Jets in 2020, creating a modest market. Basham forced three fumbles for the 2020 Jets and added another with the ’21 Cowboys. The ’22 Cowboys’ depth at the position left no room for Basham, who played five games for an injury-riddled Titans team to close out the season.

Cincinnati rosters Joseph Ossai as a backup edge option, but the 2021 draftee was playing through a torn labrum during the final games of last season. Ossai underwent surgery early this offseason. Basham will join Ossai, a former third-round pick, and Cam Sample (Round 4, 2021) as backup options going into Cincy’s offseason program. Ossai and Sample combined for 5.5 sacks in 2022.

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