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Special Teams Position Battles In Cincinnati

July 24th, 2022 at 9:55pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bengals’ special teams room has looked mostly the same for 14 years. Bengals coach Darrin Simmons has held the role of special teams coordinator since 2003, adding “assistant head coach” to his title for his 19th and 20th seasons in Cincinnati. It appears, though, that changes could be in the making as Simmons adjudicates position battles including the team’s longest-tenured players, according to Jay Morrison of The Athletic. Both punter Kevin Huber and long snapper Clark Harris will face position battles in camp for the first times in their long careers. 

Huber is entering his 14th year in the league. All 14 have come with the Bengals, who drafted him in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft out of the University of Cincinnati. Huber is 20 punts short of 1,000 and one game shy of setting a franchise record for games played as a Bengal. Despite his extreme familiarity with the franchise, Huber is facing a position battle that should have occurred last year.

Drue Chrisman signed as an undrafted free agent with the Bengals after six years at Ohio State in 2021. The Cincinnati-native from La Salle High School chose to stay close to home for his first NFL signing. The strong-legged challenger was set to compete with the long-time veteran Huber before a broken hand shut Chrisman down. He was waived before the regular season and signed to the team’s practice squad. The Bengals released him in mid-October and the Steelers scooped him up two months later, just to release him after only two days. Cincinnati quickly re-signed him to the practice squad until releasing him in mid-January. Chrisman signed a reserve/future contract with Cincinnati a week before they would appear in the Super Bowl.

Now, Chrisman is back, hand intact, to challenge Huber for his job. According to Morrison, while Chrisman’s leg strength is a plus and the battle will surely judge punting factors such as hang time and directional accuracy, Chrisman’s true test to win the job will be his ability to handle the duties of holder, a role commonly assigned to punters and backup quarterbacks. If Chrisman can show a reliability holding for rookie sensation Evan McPherson on field goals and extra points, the Bengals may have no choice but to go with youth and award Chrisman to job.

One may think that Huber’s 14 years of holding snaps from Harris gives him an unfair advantage over Chrisman. That may be true, but Chrisman may not be at too much of a disadvantage as Harris, too, will face competition in training camp for his job.

Harris is headed into his 16th year in the NFL and his 14th with the Bengals. Harris served double-duty in college as a tight end and long snapper at Rutgers. As a redshirt sophomore, Harris led the Big East in catches, yards, and touchdowns for a tight end. He received first-team All-Big East honors for three straight years. Harris was drafted in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft by Green Bay. He spent time on the practice squads for the Packers, Lions, and Texans in his first three seasons, finally making his NFL debut as a long snapper in Houston when starter Bryan Pittman was suspended for four games. After being released from another practice squad, Harris was signed midseason by Cincinnati to be their long snapper.

Harris has been extremely reliable for the Bengals. Since signing with the team in 2009, Harris has missed only three games and has never had an unplayable snap. Unfortunately, Harris got on the bad side of his long-time position coach during the team’s Super Bowl LVI loss. While McPherson gained further notoriety around the country for skipping locker room adjustments to watch the Super Bowl halftime show, Harris’ participation (and influence) in those antics drew the frustration of Simmons, according to The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. Simmons found himself needing to make “a few critical adjustments” that required shifting personnel in a few packages, but the constant of every package was on the field with the rookie kicker watching the show. When asked if the situation was all water under the bridge, Simmons replied, “It’s not under the bridge. I’m still floating on the float. It is what it is.”

Whether a result of the halftime stunt or just a reaction to Harris’ growing years, the Bengals brought in University of Pittsburgh first-team All-American long snapper Cal Adomitis as an undrafted free agent this offseason. Adomitis also won the Patrick Mannelly Award, given to the best long snapper in the country, in his fifth and final year with the Panthers.

Harris has reportedly responded well to the newcomer, reporting for offseason activities in the best shape he’s been in during recent years and “(working) his tail off” to prepare to fight for his job.

Both Huber and Harris have the talent, experience, and familiarity to win the starting jobs. But Chrisman and Adomitis have plenty of talent and the youth to back it up for potentially 14 years to come. As Huber and Harris head into contract years, will the Bengals stick with experience or ride the youth movement along with their second-year kicker?

Bengals Unlikely To Trade Jessie Bates

July 24th, 2022 at 8:16am CST by Rory Parks

The Bengals and safety Jessie Bates were unable to agree to terms on a new contract prior to the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign an extension, and Bates is not planning to attend the team’s training camp. Still, Cincinnati does not plan to trade its fifth-year DB, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said during an appearance on the Ari Meirov NFL Show (video link).

“The time to do it would’ve been before the deadline,” Fowler said (h/t Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus (subscription required)). “Talking to people involved, I think the player would be very surprised, too. The Bengals haven’t shown a willingness to move him.”

Despite something of a down 2021 regular season, there surely would have been clubs interested in dealing for Bates and giving him a contract near the top of the safety market if the Bengals had entertained trade talks before July 15. Now, though, any acquiring club would be on the hook for the $12.9MM salary and cap number associated with Bates’ franchise tender, and not many teams can comfortably absorb such a charge at this point in the year. Plus, Cincinnati’s return for a safety who may turn into a one-year rental would likely be limited.

Bates has not yet signed his tender — which means that he cannot be fined for skipping training camp — but he will either need to sign it at some point or sit out the entire 2022 campaign, which seems highly unlikely. The only player in recent history to go that route was Le’Veon Bell, and with the benefit of hindsight, it is difficult to argue that was a good move for Bell’s career.

Cincinnati is also rostering Vonn Bell and first-round rookie Dax Hill, who took every OTA rep as the team’s starting free safety in Bates’ absence. The early returns on Hill have been positive, and while it should be expected that Bates will show up before he starts losing game checks, a parting of the ways in 2023 looks like a very real possibility.

Bell is also entering a platform year, and the Bengals may have found his eventual successor as well when they nabbed Tycen Anderson in the fifth round of this year’s draft. With quarterback Joe Burrow eligible for an extension at season’s end, Cincinnati is clearly looking for cost-controlled talent at non-premium positions.

Bengals Place Five Players On PUP, La’el Collins On NFI

July 23rd, 2022 at 6:51pm CST by Ely Allen

Following the trend we’ve been seeing the past couple of days, Cincinnati has joined the list of teams making the necessary roster moves for injured players. The team announced on Twitter that they are placing linebacker Joe Bachie, guard Alex Cappa, defensive end Khalid Kareem, running back Samaje Perine, and safety Brandon Wilson on the active/physically unable to perform list and offensive tackle La’el Collins on the active/non-football injury list. 

This announcement likely invokes mixed reactions for Bengals’ fans. While they’ll rejoice to see the names of only two expected starters on the lists, the fact that those two names belong on the offensive line may send shivers up their spines. Cappa and Collins are parts of a major rebuild on the offensive line after the Bengals allowed a record-tying seven sacks in a Super Bowl LVI loss to the Rams. The two were brought in, alongside center Ted Karras, to hold down the right side of the offensive line opposite Jackson Carman and Jonah Williams.

Cappa’s addition to the list isn’t too much of a surprise. The former Buccaneer was sidelined in late-May with a minor core injury. Known for his toughness, Cappa, who has played with a broken arm and attempted to stay in a game with a broken leg, was expected to make a return before training camp, but his placement on the list is likely just a cautious attempt to give Cappa a bit more time to recover.

The Collins news is slightly more concerning. Collins has a reputation for missing games. During his time in Dallas, Collins appeared in 74 regular season games while missing 39. He was placed on injured reserve before the start of the 2020 NFL season with the expectation he may return, but ended up sitting out the entire year. He had a healthy 2021 season, but still missed five games due to a suspension. Not much information was presented about his NFI-status, which may cause some worry for a player who has violated the league’s policy on substance abuse in the past. Regardless of speculation, the Bengals will have plenty of time before the season starts to get the situation straightened out.

Perine is probably the next biggest name on the list. No information is available as to the reason he is physically unable to perform. Perine served last season as a pass-catching option out of the backfield and the backup running back behind former Oklahoma teammate Joe Mixon. Perine will look to do more of the same, competing with last year’s sixth-round draft pick Chris Evans for receiving back duties upon his return.

Wilson is an interesting name on this list. His career with the Bengals has primarily been on special teams with Wilson serving as the Bengals’ main kick returner last season. But, as a backup safety, Wilson could see an increased role depending on the results of conversations with starting safety Jessie Bates III. If discussions with Bates go south and lead to a hold out, Wilson is the next man up to start alongside Vonn Bell in the defensive backfield. Wilson is coming off of a torn ACL suffered in early-November of last season, so his placement on the list is not unexpected, but does add a new wrinkle in developments concerning Bates’ contract.

Bachie and Kareem are both backup defenders who saw their roles change from their first seasons in the league to their second. After appearing in every game as a rookie, Kareem didn’t make his 2021 season-debut until Week 8 and performed in a limited role that was further limited by injuries near the end of the year. Bachie went from a reserve player on the Eagles as a rookie to a backup linebacker on the Bengals in Year 2. Bachie tore his ACL in mid-December last year and is an unsurprising addition to the list as he works his way back from the knee injury.

There could always be additions to the list, as it isn’t official until Tuesday. Additionally, a player can come off of the list anytime during the preseason and can’t be on the list once they’ve practiced with the team. Any players still on the PUP list at the start of the regular season will be required to sit out a minimum of six games, but they won’t count against the roster as the team trims to 53 players.

While the Bengals have some important role players on this list, there’s little need to worry at this point in time. As long as they come off of the list before the season starts, there will be no league-restrictions on their participation.

Franchise Tag Roundup: Bengals, Chiefs, Cowboys, Dolphins Table Talks To 2023

July 15th, 2022 at 10:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the first time since 2018, the summer franchise tag deadline day did not produce an extension. The past three years brought deadline-day deals for Taylor Moton, Derrick Henry, Chris Jones, Grady Jarrett and Robbie Gould. None of the four teams who still had tagged players could hammer out a deal Friday, however.

Bengals safety Jessie Bates, Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki and Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz remain attached to their franchise tag prices ($12.9MM, $16.7MM, $10.9MM, $10.9MM, respectively). They are prevented from negotiating with their teams again until the 2022 season ends. The four teams can apply second franchise tags to these players in 2023, at 120% of their 2022 tag prices.

  • The Chiefs and Brown came closest to a deal. Although the Chiefs reached an extension agreement with Frank Clark upon trading a first-round pick and change for him in 2019, they postponed Brown negotiations last year. When the sides came to the table, after Brown earned a Pro Bowl nod for his first season as a full-time left tackle, the fifth-year blocker had a new agent and wanted a deal that made him the highest-paid offensive lineman. The Chiefs were willing to go there, but on their terms. What amounts to a dummy year in the contract’s final season led Brown to turn down a six-year, $139MM extension offer. Although failed tag talks often lead to separations the following year, it would surprise if the Chiefs — considering the compensation they parted with for Brown in 2021 — did not make a strong effort to extend Brown in 2023.
  • Less clarity emerged with the other three tag negotiations, but the Bengals‘ five-year offer and reported guarantee of around $17MM — which would be a fringe top-10 mark at the safety position — did not bring Bates to sign an extension. The fifth-year defender wanted to be the NFL’s highest-paid safety, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Minkah Fitzpatrick moved that number to $18.2MM per year this summer. Bates expressed interest in re-signing with the Bengals in 2021, after he posted a strong 2020 season. Following a less impactful 2021 regular season, Bates rebounded with critical playoff contributions. The Bengals, who drafted safety Daxton Hill in Round 1 and have Vonn Bell under contract for one more season, may be willing to let Bates test free agency a year from now. But Bell’s contract-year status may well keep Bates in the fold beyond 2022.
  • A lot of Schultz news came out this offseason, including a late rumor of a possible deal coming to fruition. But scant optimism about a Cowboys long-term deal surfaced. Dallas cuffed its top tight end and, with Schultz having signed his tender, he can be fined daily for not reporting to training camp. Although Schultz left OTAs to make a point about negotiations, he showed for Cowboys minicamp. The sides, however, appeared far apart. Ahead of Friday’s deadline, they had not negotiated in weeks. Contract length was an issue for Schultz’s camp. While Dak Prescott‘s contract is an exception, the Cowboys prefer five- or six-year extensions. No deadline-day magic occurred, and Schultz may become a bigger part of Dallas’ offense, with the team having traded Amari Cooper shortly after tagging its tight end.
  • It does not sound like substantial Gesicki-Dolphins talks occurred this offseason. Though, Gesicki was interested in an extension. After the former second-round pick broke through for a 703-yard, six-touchdown 2020 season, the team did not make an extension ahead of his 2021 contract year a priority. Gesicki then posted a 780-yard slate. That was enough to move Miami to keep the Penn State product off the free agent market. Gesicki should play a key part in a critical Tua Tagovailoa season, but with Tyreek Hill‘s $30MM-per-year contract now on Miami’s books, other Dolphins skill players may be affected.

The Browns (David Njoku), Buccaneers (Chris Godwin), Jaguars (Cam Robinson) and Packers (Davante Adams) saw their tagged players land extensions. Adams’ money, of course, came from the Raiders, who gave their new All-Pro weapon a five-year, $140MM extension — a deal that impacted Hill’s Chiefs talks and one that has two lofty nonguaranteed salaries in its final two years — after Adams voiced a preference to reunite with Derek Carr out west. Njoku becoming the NFL’s fourth-highest-paid tight end, after not matching either of Gesicki or Schultz’s best seasons, likely became an issue in the Cowboys and Dolphins’ respective negotiations.

Bates and Brown have not signed their tenders. This would allow each to skip training camp without being fined. The 2020 CBA prevents teams from waiving fines for holdouts, pointing to Gesicki and Schultz showing up. Bates is not expected to attend camp, and Brown hinted at staying away for a while. The Bengals and Chiefs’ tagged performers have until Nov. 15 to sign their tenders, or they cannot play in 2022. Multiple defensive linemen (Sean Gilbert and Dan Williams, the latter a Chiefs tag recipient) followed through with skipping seasons after being tagged in the late 1990s, but Le’Veon Bell (2018) is the only player to pass on a guaranteed salary by skipping a full season while attached to the tag this century.

Bengals, Jessie Bates Will Not Reach Deal; S Not Planning To Show For Training Camp

July 15th, 2022 at 12:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals’ franchise tag offseason with Jessie Bates has produced mostly reports of an impasse, leading to frustration from the talented safety. While 11th-hour momentum frequently comes on July 15 in these cases, it does not appear to be on tap in this one.

Bates and the Bengals have made “zero progress” on an extension ahead of Friday’s 3pm CT deadline, Tyler Dragon of USA Today tweets. This situation has headed to this place for a while, dating back to the 2021 offseason — when Bates expressed disappointment no extension emerged ahead of his contract year. It appears a season on the franchise tender — one Bates has not signed — will be his 2022 path.

It is not difficult to see why Bates is balking at the Bengals’ offer. Cincinnati is proposing a five-year deal that provides barely $16MM fully guaranteed, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (on Twitter). This guarantee proposal would be well outside the top five at the position. Eight safeties signed for more than $20MM fully guaranteed. The Bengals do not guarantee salaries beyond the first year of contracts, joining the Packers on that front. This blueprint will be tested when the Bengals negotiate with Joe Burrow, but the team appears unwilling to break with procedure for Bates.

Until Bates signs his tender, he is not contractually obligated to attend Bengals training camp. That is the fifth-year safety’s plan, per Dragon, who adds Bates has no intentions to report to camp.

Once Bates signs his tender, he will be tied to a $12.9MM guaranteed salary. While Le’Veon Bell did stick to his guns and skip the 2018 season, no one else has tried this tactic since the 1990s. It should be expected Bates will play for the Bengals in 2022, but after the past two offseasons, it is not hard to see this relationship ending in 2023. A second Bates tag would cost the Bengals $15.5MM next year.

Bates, 25, has missed just two games throughout his career and has started every game he’s played. The former second-round pick has become one of the NFL’s top safeties, but a value gap has formed.

The Bengals appear unwilling to pay Bates a deal that places him on the Minkah Fitzpatrick–Jamal Adams tier. Adams created that space by signing a $17.5MM-per-year deal in August 2021. There are four safeties (Marcus Williams, Kevin Byard, Eddie Jackson and Budda Baker) tied to deals ranging from $14MM AAV to $14.75MM per annum. While a compromise spot would exist in the Justin Simmons–Harrison Smith space ($15.25-$16MM per year), the salary cap is set to keep rising — after its 2021 dip — so Bates seeking a deal close to the top of the market makes sense.

Cincinnati has Vonn Bell entering a contract year as well, clouding the team’s outlook at the position. But first-round pick Daxton Hill should be expected to become a starter soon. He is signed through 2025, with a fifth-year option that could take the deal to 2026. A Bates big-ticket deal alongside Hill’s rookie contract would seem manageable, but the Bengals have perhaps their most notable extension in franchise history to consider in 2023. In addition to Burrow becoming extension-eligible next year, so will Tee Higgins, giving the AFC champions some long-term planning to do.

Four Players Remain On Franchise Tag; Extension Deadline Friday

July 11th, 2022 at 12:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

The teams that still have players tied to the franchise tag have until 3pm CT Friday to reach extension agreements with the tagged performers. Otherwise, those players will play the 2022 season on the tag.

This year has brought a better success rate for tags leading to extensions, at least compared to the past two offseasons. Four of the eight players given the tag in March have signed extensions. That betters the 2020 (2-for-14) and 2021 (3-for-9) success rates. While Chris Godwin (Buccaneers), Cam Robinson (Jaguars), David Njoku (Browns) and Davante Adams (Packers; traded to Raiders) agreed to deals, the rest of this year’s group remains unsigned.

Here is how that quartet stands entering deadline week:

S Jessie Bates, Cincinnati Bengals

This looks like the most contentious of this year’s remaining tag situations. Bates, 25, discussed his disappointment about the lack of a Bengals extension ahead of his 2021 contract year and admitted not receiving a long-term deal affected him during the season. The former second-round pick, who rebounded with a postseason run featuring two interceptions and six pass deflections, voiced opposition to the franchise tag in February. Absent a long-term deal, the fifth-year defender is not expected to show for Bengals training camp. Bates, who has not signed his franchise tender, is tied to a $12.9MM tag figure. The Bengals hold $15.8MM in cap space.

Cincinnati has Vonn Bell on a $6MM-per-year deal, one that expires at season’s end, and used a first-round pick on safety Daxton Hill. The team has some notable players who become extension-eligible after 2022, notably Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins, and they may not be prepared to extend Bates on the level of Minkah Fitzpatrick ($18.2MM per year) or Jamal Adams ($17.5MM AAV). With the Bengals potentially eyeing Marcus Williams‘ five-year, $70MM Ravens deal, this impasse has created “bleak” negotiations leading up to the deadline.

The Bengals have taken care of homegrown defenders in the fairly recent past, giving both Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins two extensions and re-signing Dre Kirkpatrick in 2017. They also have let productive starters go, as evidenced by the departures of Andrew Whitworth, Kevin Zeitler, William Jackson and Carl Lawson. Zeitler signed a then-guard-record deal with the Browns in 2017; is Bates headed for free agency after a rental year?

T Orlando Brown Jr., Kansas City Chiefs

This situation has not produced as many headlines as Bates’ over the past year, but the Chiefs are a few days away from going to year-to-year with their left tackle. Brown is tied to a $16.7MM tag but is pursuing a deal that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman. Trent Williams, whom the Chiefs pursued in free agency last year before pivoting to a Brown trade, currently holds that title ($23MM per year). The league has three $20MM-AAV O-linemen (Williams, David Bakhtiari and Laremy Tunsil). For Brown to commit to a long-term deal, he would need to be the fourth. The Chiefs hold $14.3MM in cap space.

The Chiefs gave up their 2021 first-round pick for Brown, in a deal that also sent a Ravens second-rounder to Kansas City. Brown hired an agent that did not have an NFL client at that point, seeking a representative without relationships with front offices. The former Ravens third-rounder delivered an ominous message to his current team last month. Addressing the AFC West arrivals of Chandler Jones, Khalil Mack and Randy Gregory, Brown said it is “not the year to go into the season with a backup left tackle.” The sides have begun talks, which was the Chiefs’ plan upon acquiring Brown in 2021. But these could, as many tag stalemates do, go up to the deadline.

In moving from a right tackle the Ravens did not have in their long-term plans to a Chiefs Pro Bowler given the tag, Brown has shown a knack for maximizing his value. Like Bates, Brown has not signed his franchise tender, giving him the option of skipping training camp free of charge. The Chiefs have just one O-lineman, Joe Thuney, signed to a notable veteran deal. It would seem the franchise is prepared to give Brown a big-ticket extension. If the 26-year-old blocker is intent on surpassing Williams’ deal, it will test the Chiefs’ commitment.

TE Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins might be eyeing a rental season here. Gesicki signed his franchise tender and has expressed interest in a long-term Miami deal. But the team may want to see more from the former second-round pick. Less than a week before the deadline, the sides have not done much work on an extension. Njoku’s $14.2MM-per-year pact can reasonably be viewed as a Gesicki target, with the Dolphins tight end producing two seasons — yardage-wise — that outpaced Njoku’s best year. Even before Njoku’s extension, the Dolphins and their tagged tight end were not close on a re-up. The Dolphins hold $16.5MM in cap space.

Mike McDaniel reshaped the Dolphins’ offense this offseason, and on just a $10.9MM franchise tender, the Penn State product makes sense as a rental piece. This represents a crucial year for Tua Tagovailoa, and the Dolphins kept one of his top targets off the market. Gesicki, 26, could join this year’s other tagged tight end as a 2023 free agent. It would cost the Dolphins 120% of this year’s tight end tag figure to cuff Gesicki again in 2023.

TE Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys frequently hammer out extensions, preferring deals that last at least five years. That preference has impacted the Schultz talks, with the Njoku contract undoubtedly factoring into this equation as well. Throughout the offseason, the Cowboys and Schultz have not been close on an agreement. Schultz, 26, did not finish OTAs with the team, citing dissatisfaction with his contract talks for leaving. He later circled back for mandatory minicamp. Despite little momentum emerging for much of the offseason, these negotiations still have a chance of producing an agreement ahead of Friday’s deadline. The Cowboys hold $22.5MM in cap space; Schultz has signed his tender.

Unlike Gesicki’s situation, the tight end tag talks in Dallas have continued throughout the offseason. The $10.9MM payment obviously represents a major raise for the former fourth-round pick, but as Blake Jarwin‘s injury issues have shown, players can lose value quickly. The Cowboys paid Jarwin ahead of his career-altering injuries, and Schultz has been a far more effective weapon, as evidenced by his 808-yard, eight-touchdown 2021 season. The Cowboys were wise to keep him off this year’s market, with Amari Cooper being traded and Michael Gallup unlikely to start the season on time.

If Schultz and the Cowboys cannot agree on terms by Friday, his status as a key Dak Prescott target stands to position the Stanford alum for a big payday as a 2023 UFA. Then again, the Cowboys have re-tagged multiple players — Prescott and DeMarcus Lawrence — over the past five years.

Latest On Bengals S Jessie Bates

July 9th, 2022 at 8:59am CST by Ben Levine

The deadline for franchise players to sign multiyear contracts is less than a week away, and it doesn’t sound like a resolution is coming between the Bengals and safety Jessie Bates. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (and passed along by Grant Gordon of NFL.com), a positive outcome between the two sides “appears bleak at the moment.”

Garafolo can’t envision Bates attending Bengals training camp without a new deal. The safety was also absent during OTAs as the two sides tried to hammer out a deal, but back in May, we heard that negotiations had stalled. Bates was slapped with the franchise tag earlier this offseason, locking him in to a $12.9MM salary for the 2022 campaign. However, the safety made it clear that he has no intention of playing the upcoming season under the franchise tag as he pursues a long-term, top-of-market deal.

As Joel Corry of CBS Sports writes, there’s a good chance that the Bengals are citing Marcus Williams‘ $14MM AAV that he got from the Ravens via a five-year deal this offseason. However, Bates’ camp is likely pursuing a deal closer to Jamal Adams‘ contract with the Seahawks, which averages $17.5MM per year and could be worth up to $18MM per year. There’s also Minkah Fitzpatrick‘s deal with the Steelers that exceeded that $18MM AAV mark but is only half guaranteed. Garafolo opines that the Bengals will be unwilling to pay that much for their safety, meaning there’s at least a $4MM or $5MM annual difference in opinions.

The 25-year-old was the subject of contract talks last offseason, but negotiations stalled. Bates had established himself as an integral part of the Bengals’ defense to that point, earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2020. The regular season this past year was his worst statistically, though he notched a pair of interceptions during the team’s run to the Super Bowl.

Bengals Pursuing WR Depth?

July 6th, 2022 at 8:40pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bengals may have the best receiving trio in the NFL, but that won’t stop the front office from seeking some reinforcement at the position. Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic writes that Cincinnati will be on the lookout for receiving depth over the next month-plus.

The writer notes that the organization could seek help via the waiver wire as teams begin to trim their rosters, but he adds that the organization could also look toward the trade market if they’re truly targeting a specific name. If any of the team’s top-three wideouts suffer an injury during the preseason, then the front office would surely “turn up the aggressiveness” as they pursue that extra depth.

Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd each had 60+ receptions, 800+ receiving yards, and 5+ touchdowns during the 2022 campaign. Fortunately for the Bengals, the trio has been remarkably healthy throughout their respective careers. Chase managed to get into all 17 games as a rookie, and while Higgins missed three games in 2022, he got into all 16 games in 2021. In six seasons with Cincy, Boyd has missed 11 games, although six of those absences came in 2017.

Either way, the Bengals would rather be safe than sorry, and they could use some experience beyond their current grouping of backup receivers. The team is still rostering Mike Thomas, but he’s only hauled in 18 receptions over the past two seasons. Otherwise, the Bengals have four wideouts who had a combined six receptions in 2021 (Stanley Morgan, Trent Taylor, Trenton Irwin, and Pooka Williams Jr.) and four UDFA receivers (Kwamie Lassiter II, Jaivon Heiligh, Jack Sorenson, and Kendric Pryor).

2022 NFL Cap Space, By Team

July 6th, 2022 at 11:58am CST by Sam Robinson

Between now and training camp, additional free agents will join teams. Several big names — from 2010s All-Decade-teamers Ndamukong Suh and Julio Jones — to longtime starters like Odell Beckham Jr., Jason Pierre-Paul, Trey Flowers and J.C. Tretter remain available as camps approach.

With savings from post-June 1 cuts in the rear-view mirror and fewer than 25 draft picks yet to sign their rookie deals, we have a pretty good idea of teams’ cap-space figures. Here is how the league currently stacks up for available funds:

  1. Cleveland Browns: $40.9MM
  2. Carolina Panthers: $25.1MM
  3. Chicago Bears: $23MM
  4. Dallas Cowboys: $22.5MM
  5. Las Vegas Raiders: $21.6MM
  6. Washington Commanders: $17.7MM
  7. Green Bay Packers: $16.9MM
  8. Miami Dolphins: $16.5MM
  9. Seattle Seahawks: $16.4MM
  10. Cincinnati Bengals: $15.8MM
  11. Los Angeles Chargers: $14.5MM
  12. Pittsburgh Steelers: $14.3MM
  13. Kansas City Chiefs: $14.3MM
  14. Atlanta Falcons: $13.4MM
  15. Philadelphia Eagles: $12.8MM
  16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $12.4MM
  17. Indianapolis Colts: $12.3MM
  18. Tennessee Titans: $11.9MM
  19. Arizona Cardinals: $11.5MM
  20. Denver Broncos: $11.5MM
  21. Minnesota Vikings: $10.9MM
  22. New Orleans Saints: $10.7MM
  23. Detroit Lions: $9.8MM
  24. New York Jets: $9.6MM
  25. Houston Texans: $9.2MM
  26. Los Angeles Rams: $7.7MM
  27. Jacksonville Jaguars: $7.7MM
  28. New York Giants: $6MM
  29. Buffalo Bills: $5.6MM
  30. San Francisco 49ers: $4.7MM
  31. Baltimore Ravens: $3.9MM
  32. New England Patriots: $1.9MM
  • The Browns reduced Deshaun Watson‘s 2022 base salary to the veteran minimum. The suspension candidate’s cap number checks in at just $10MM, though the figures from the fully guaranteed deal the Browns authorized begin spiking in 2023. Watson’s cap number is set to rise to an NFL-record $54.9MM next year.
  • Carolina has been in talks with Cleveland for months regarding a Baker Mayfield trade. The sides have not come to an agreement on how to divide Mayfield’s guaranteed $18.9MM salary. While the Browns are believed to have come up to around $10MM, Mayfield remains on their roster.
  • The Bears, Cowboys and Raiders each vaulted into the top five because of post-June 1 cuts. Chicago and Las Vegas were the only teams to designate the maximum two players as post-June 1 releases.
  • The Seahawks have been connected to a Mayfield trade, but they have been more likely to pursue the disgruntled QB via free agency — should this process reach that point. A Mayfield free agent signing would not require Seattle to make adjustments to its cap sheet.
  • After restructuring Patrick Mahomes‘ contract last year, the Chiefs have not done so in 2022. The superstar passer is attached to a $35.8MM figure — the second-highest 2022 cap charge.
  • Atlanta’s cap space factors in the team’s league-leading $63.2MM in dead money, a figure mostly created by Matt Ryan‘s individual dead-cap record ($40.5MM) emerging after the Falcons traded their 14-year starter to the Colts.
  • Upon learning Tom Brady would be back for a third Florida season, the Buccaneers did restructure his deal. Brady counts just $11.9MM on Tampa Bay’s 2022 cap sheet, but due to the void years that helped the team save money, that number spikes to $35.1MM in 2023 — when Brady is not under contract.
  • San Francisco power brokers have said for months a Jimmy Garoppolo trade is the organization’s goal. With the passer not yet fully cleared, the team — which is preparing for Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa extensions to come to pass at some point — has a $26.95MM Garoppolo cap charge on its payroll. Releasing Garopppolo would save the 49ers $24.2MM.
  • The Ravens have attempted to go forward with a Lamar Jackson extension, but the team has confirmed the quarterback has not expressed much interest in doing a deal now. The sides did discuss the former MVP’s deal during minicamp. Jackson is tied to a $23MM fifth-year option salary.

NFL Teams With Most Dead Cap

July 5th, 2022 at 8:29pm CST by Ben Levine

The Falcons made history when they traded Matt Ryan to the Colts this offseason. As a result of the trade, the Falcons were left with a record-breaking $40.5MM in dead cap. Thanks to the Ryan trade (as well as the trade of Julio Jones and the release of Dante Fowler), the Falcons lead the NFL with a whopping $63MM in dead cap heading into next season.

For a team that’s probably not looking to compete in 2022, this isn’t the biggest deal in the world. For competitive squads, a hefty dead cap charge could drastically limit their ability to add to their squad following final roster cuts and into the regular season. A team’s current dead cap commitment could also influence who they decide to cut at the end of the preseason.

So which teams have the most dead cap on their books? We’ve listed them in order below (h/t to Sportrac):

  1. Atlanta Falcons: $63,209,124
  2. Chicago Bears: $57,643,341
  3. Philadelphia Eagles: $54,915,221
  4. Houston Texans: $52,289,341
  5. Seattle Seahawks: $46,022,390
  6. New Orleans Saints: $33,347,982
  7. Pittsburgh Steelers: $30,863,174
  8. Las Vegas Raiders: $29,441,565
  9. New York Giants: $29,262,372
  10. Green Bay Packers: $24,628,608
  11. Carolina Panthers: $23,507,283
  12. Dallas Cowboys: $22,713,132
  13. Minnesota Vikings: $22,092,189
  14. Jacksonville Jaguars: $21,852,872
  15. Detroit Lions: $20,324,288
  16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $19,445,910
  17. Cleveland Browns: $18,774,054
  18. Buffalo Bills: $16,601,356
  19. Denver Broncos: $14,938,136
  20. Tennessee Titans: $14,290,108
  21. Los Angeles Rams: $13,522,002
  22. Baltimore Ravens: $12,292,703
  23. Arizona Cardinals: $10,278,530
  24. Cincinnati Bengals: $9,592,578
  25. New England Patriots: $9,158,009
  26. Miami Dolphins: $8,483,400
  27. Kansas City Chiefs: $7,982,236
  28. Indianapolis Colts: $7,037,428
  29. San Francisco 49ers: $6,495,221
  30. Washington Commanders: $6,300,496
  31. Los Angeles Chargers: $3,661,167
  32. New York Jets: $2,092,411
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