[jwplayer qsAgFZb7-ThvAeFxT]
The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t hurting for cap space — yet there’s always room for more.
And cutting some noteworthy names is always a way to go. Just ask the Washington Redskins. Another rebuilding team, the Redskins just cut big names like Paul Richardson and Josh Norman in an effort to free up some space.
Should the Bengals follow suit? The team currently has a little more than $47 million in free space but could potentially spend droves of it on extensions for guys like A.J. Green and Joe Mixon — which sounds like it’s in the plans.
Where might more cap space come from? Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick currently has the team’s third-highest cap hit in 2020, checking in at a little more than $11 million.
Cordy Glenn, the embattled tackle who got himself benched and reportedly asked for his release last season, is the sixth-highest cap charge at $9.5 million.
And don’t discount Andy Dalton, who leads the team in 2020 cap hit at $17.7 million. Also other unlikely options include C.J. Uzomah and Giovani Bernard for $2 million or so in savings apiece (again, not likely). Guys like Bobby Hart, Shawn Williams and B.W. Webb would also represent some savings.
The thing to remember? Washington cut Richardson because he wasn’t producing and Norman because he fell off. Viewed through a Cincinnati lens, that makes Glenn an obvious choice and perhaps Kirkpatrick if the team thinks it can do better on the open market.
With Dalton, a trade might not be possible because other teams know the Bengals can cut him without cap repercussions. Cincinnati already has to eat the cost of a rookie quarterback at No. 1, so eating some of Dalton’s salary to encourage a trade might not work from their perspective. Meaning, Dalton could indeed just be cut.
Cincinnati will eventually unload Glenn and Dalton’s salaries. Kirkpatrick, at the least, should probably be a restructure candidate. There’s no rush, but it sure wouldn’t hurt to follow Washington’s lead.
[vertical-gallery id=27972]