Tag: 2025 NFL Free Agency

Bengals lose Tee Higgins to NFC in free-agency projections

Can the Bengals keep NFC teams away from Tee Higgins?

With the Cincinnati Bengals’ season approaching its end and the playoff picture becoming clearer with only four weeks remaining in the regular season, Bleacher Report took a look at some of the biggest weaknesses each team is going to be looking to fix over the offseason.

Although there has been talk from Joe Burrow recently about how he believes the team will be able to keep Tee Higgins around, the Bleacher Report NFL scouting department might not be as confident in that and believes that the Carolina Panthers should make a run at the Bengals pass catcher in free agency.

Here’s what the article said about the Panthers and why Higgins would be a fit:

Bryce Young has played well enough recently to earn a chance at remaining the starting quarterback in Carolina next season, but the offense could use some extra weapons for Young to throw to.

Higgins will likely be the top wide receiver in free agency since he’ll be just 26 years old in January and has No. 1 receiver potential. Meanwhile, the front office is projected to have about $33.6 million of cap space in the offseason, per Over The Cap, to help make this pairing happen.

At this point, all Bengals fans can do is sit back and wait to see what happens with the receiver, but it seems that any outcome is possible at this point.

While dealing with some injuries this season, Higgins has been able to catch 45 passes for 581 yards and five touchdowns in just eight games, far outpacing his 42 catches for 656 yards and five scores he had in 2023.

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NFL analyst predicts Eagles will sign away Commanders defensive leader

Could the Eagles attempt to steal one of the Commanders’ top defensive players from this season?

It’s the Commanders’ bye week, but earlier this week, speculation emerged that the Eagles would pursue and sign one of their top defensive players away from the Commanders.

It is no secret to Commanders fans that GM Adam Peters signed many players on one-year deals. You can’t blame him; he inherits a roster full of holes. Wisely, Peters put most of his free agents in contract years with one-year deals, and as a result, he has seen much benefit on the field.

Defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. is one of those contract-year free agents who has performed well for the Commanders. Fowler was with head coach Dan Quinn in Atlanta in 2020 and then again with Quinn in Dallas for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. In fact, their relationship dates back to when Quinn recruited Fowler to the University of Florida and coached him there.

With four games remaining this season, Fowler has already totaled his second-highest sack total in his nine-year career, with 8.5 in 2024. He will be a free agent next off-season.

Matt Holder of Bleacher Report has publicly stated that he sees the Eagles signing a pass-rushing defensive end, and he believes Fowler is one they will aggressively pursue.

Graham (Brandon) is expected to retire at the end of the year, and Josh Sweat is an impending free agent. While Nolan Smith could take over as the starter moving forward, the defense could still use some pass-rush help. That’s where Fowler comes in, as he’s been having a strong campaign with 8.5 sacks this fall heading into the weekend. While the 30-year-old who turns 31 in August has never been much of a run defender, he can get after the quarterback with over 50 career sacks.

In addition to Fowler generating 8.5 sacks, he also has 19 solo tackles, 11 assists, 11 tackles for a loss, and 10 quarterback hits. Fowler leads the Commanders in sacks and tackles for a loss.

Fowler could demand a pay raise from the Commanders next off-season. If the Commanders don’t aggressively sign him and grant him a good raise, other teams looking for one or two years could swoop in and steal him from them.

But again, this is clearly speculation by Holder of Bleacher Report, a result of his reporting on the Eagles. Commanders Wire is simply informing Commanders fans of what is being circulated about the team.

Bengals tabbed as fit for Eagles free agent to fix defense

Should the Bengals go after this free agent next offseason?

The Cincinnati Bengals will retool their defense next offseason, perhaps with a new coaching staff leading the way, too. 

How the Bengals might go about that is much more interesting at this point.

One suggested move? Bleacher Report likes the idea of re-doing the linebacker spot with projected Philadelphia Eagles free agent Zack Baun:

Zack Baun is experiencing an incredible career turnaround with the Philadelphia Eagles, so it would be kind of surprising to see him leave Philly. Then again, the Eagles haven’t always valued the linebacker position, so it isn’t impossible. If he does wind up hitting the open market, the Bengals should be looking into him.

Baun, a third-round pick in 2020, is a strong run defender in the middle who has posted an 89.6 PFF grade this season.

While the defensive line in front of the linebackers has been a huge problem, this season hasn’t exactly been stellar for Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson, either.

Wilson is under contract through 2027, but Pratt only has one year left on his current deal and would be a pretty sizeable cap hit if released.

That said, the Bengals could use some more speed and dynamic play from the linebacker spot regardless of what happens in the trenches. Baun might be out of their price range, but he’s a good example of the type of guy they could look for next offseason.

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Bengals starter leaves for Steelers in free agency projections

The Bengals lose a player to the Steelers in a new free agency preview.

With the way Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talks about Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Tee Higgins, one would think free agency projections have that happening.

But in a new set of free agency predictions, a defensive Bengals player actually leaves for the Steelers.

Over at Bleacher Report, projections suggest that cornerback Mike Hilton could leave the Bengals and rejoin his former team in Pittsburgh:

Mike Hilton has always excelled in that role, but they let him walk in the 2021 offseason. Looking back, that was probably a mistake. He’s played the role well for the Bengals and the Steelers should be interested in bringing him back next season.

It’s going to be really interesting to see if the Bengals bring Hilton back. There’s a blowup about to happen on that side of the ball next offseason.

Hilton has been a key member of the team and remains a key leader, but he appears to have lost a step with age, too, putting the coaches and team in a tough spot.

On paper, the Bengals hope they have a long-term replacement for Hilton with rookie Josh Newton. If he does end up leaving on the open market, his returning back to the Steelers would make plenty of sense.

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Bengals urged to target underrated name in 2025 NFL free agency

Should the Bengals go after this name in free agency to fix a huge problem?

When it comes to the Cincinnati Bengals and next offseason, projections won’t stop looking for help for the struggling defense.

Safety is an understandable focal point for many projections right now. Geno Stone has struggled since signing, Vonn Bell has lost a step and Jordan Battle hasn’t been able to break onto the field often.

Over at Bleacher Report, one of the suggested fits is Camryn Bynum in free agency next offseason:

Cutting Stone and targeting Camryn Bynum with some of the cap savings could be a major move toward fixing things. Bynum is only 26 years old and has excelled in multiple defensive systems with the Vikings.

Bynum isn’t really a household name, but he is a former fourth-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings who has earned a nice role for himself and picked off eight passes with 27 passes defended over four years.

The Bengals will probably approach the safety problem from a few different angles, including the draft. But Bynum is one of those names to put on a list and know going into the offseason.

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Bengals suggested top free-agent target for 2025

The Bengals should attack this need in free agency next offseason.

At this point, one could describe every level of the Cincinnati Bengals defense as its weakest point.

The defensive line doesn’t get much in the way of pass-rush, the linebackers aren’t playing well behind a poor line, and the defensive backs room as a whole is a complete mess.

When attempting to single out the team’s biggest weakness and find a way to fix it in 2025 NFL free agency, though, Bleacher Report circled the cornerback spot and suggested targeting Byron Murphy Jr. next offseason:

One of the biggest reasons the Bengals have underperformed this season is a secondary that is just not holding up its end of the bargain. The Bengals are one of the worst third-down defenses in the league and will need to make changes next season.

Murphy, a second-round pick in 2019, has been with Minnesota over the last two seasons and has a strong 70.5 PFF grade this year. He’s just one of many strong veteran examples of guys possibly headed to the market next offseason that should interest the Bengals.
Cam Taylor-Britt’s major dropoff is a huge issue to tackle this offseason now, and both Dax Hill and DJ Turner will attempt to work their way back from season-ending injuries.

Someone like Murphy, then, will be an obvious target to get some experience in the door, even if he doesn’t start.

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Bengals projected to lose star to Cowboys in 2025 free agency

Are the Bengals in danger of losing a star to the Cowboys in free agency?

The Cincinnati Bengals losing B.J. Hill in 2025 free agency is a topic that keeps coming up in recent weeks.

And it’s not hard to see why, either. As the season has progressed, it has become more and more apparent the team will need to put big money into fixing problem areas like the secondary and pass-rush — on top of a big extension for Ja’Marr Chase and other items.

As such, Bleacher Report has projected that Hill could go join the Dallas Cowboys on the open market:

The seven-year pro has earned above-average grades for his run defense and pass rush from Pro Football Focus. Through Week 9 in 2024, he’s earned marks of 68.3 against the run and 73.1 as a pass-rusher.

Like we stress each time this comes up, the Bengals have planned for this, at least partially, with rookies Kris Jenkins Jr. and McKinnley Jackson.

But for fans, it’s a point of stress considering, well, younger guys stepping into bigger roles hasn’t exactly worked out lately. Dax Hill didn’t cut it at safety and the Cam Taylor-Britt regression has been stunning to watch in real time.

The Bengals could end up going with youth on the interior, get Trey Hendrickson an extension and let Hill walk, for better or worse. Dallas, indeed, would be one of the teams interested on the open market.

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NFL insider updates Tee Higgins’ future outlook with Bengals

Will Tee Higgins be back with the Bengals after this season?

The future for Tee Higgins with the Cincinnati Bengals remains bleak.

As of now, the franchise-tagged star is just trying to get back on the field after missing a second set of games due to another soft-tissue injury this season.

Looking ahead to next offseason, ESPN’s Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler recently ranked Higgins the No. 1 upcoming free agent in the league and cast doubt on a long-term deal happening:

What we’re hearing: There’s little to no chance Higgins is in Cincinnati beyond 2024. People I’ve talked to feel pretty strongly about that, barring a major surprise. A second franchise tag would cost the Bengals around $26.2 million on a one-year rental.

What might be interesting here is that no insider has yet to say that Higgins’ latest wave of injuries has his free-agency future in doubt. He missed games to start this year with another hamstring injury, then has missed three in a row right now after injuring his quad-running routes in practice.

One would think that being unavailable so often, consistently, might make teams hesitate to give Higgins a market-resetting contract in free agency.

But for now, it sounds like things remain on the expected track — the Bengals are unlikely to be able to afford a re-up with Higgins while they still need to pay Ja’Marr Chase and address so many other holes on the roster.

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Bengals lose star to 49ers in 2025 free agency projections

This would be a pretty big setback for the Bengals.

When it comes to the 2025 offseason and free agency for the Cincinnati Bengals, the conversation seems to fixate on Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins for obvious reasons.

Chase, of course, needs an extension, while Higgins could leave on the open market.

As such, it’s a little easy to forget about names like B.J. Hill.

Bleacher Report hasn’t — and just projected that Hill will leave the Bengals for the San Francisco 49ers in free agency:

Hill will turn 30 in April, but remains one of the league’s more disruptive interior defenders when fully healthy. He recorded 26 solo tackles and 4.5 sacks while starting all 17 games for the Bengals in 2023.

It would be a pretty big setback for the Bengals. The team hopes rookies Kris Jenkins Jr. and McKinnley Jackson are the future on the interior, yes. But Sheldon Rankins has been a bust of a free-agency signing so far and depth beyond that is pretty much zero.

Yet, Hill could indeed be one of those guys they have a hard time bringing back, especially considering other factors like free agents such as Mike Hilton and a name like Trey Hendrickson possibly wanting an extension.

That’s all before considering major investments necessary to bolster the pass-rush and a disaster of a secondary, too.

So yes, the Bengals could lose Hill to a team like the 49ers. And it just joins the long list of potential issues to keep in mind ahead of a critical offseason.

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Trade deadline passed, fixing this position is Cowboys biggest priority

Will 2025 finally be the offseason the Cowboys address the DT in free agency? | From @ReidDHanson

Almost weekly one of my kids will approach me with unapologetic sadness on their face because their tablet has inexplicably died. Forced to now interact with society like a boomer, they express shock over how such a sad, regular-occurring event could have happened to them. Again.

In the calmest, most matter-of-fact manor I can muster, I explain to them this is all because they didn’t take the necessary steps to prevent it the night before. If they addressed this extremely predictable issue earlier, it wouldn’t be a problem right now.

In many ways, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys represent my children in this illustration. Only instead of Jones forgetting to plug in his tablet night after night, Jones is neglecting to fix the same important position offseason after offseason.

Over the past two offseasons it’s been glaringly apparent the Cowboys have had an issue on their interior defensive line. Defensive tackle has headlined nearly every free agent wish list of theirs, yet the Cowboys have repeatedly turned up their nose like DT is somehow the mini tootsie roll of NFL positions.

Halfway through the 2025 campaign and it’s clear, DT is still a major issue in Dallas, and much like my kids and their battery-depleted tablets, the Cowboys have no one to blame but themselves.

It would take nearly an act of God to salvage the Cowboys DT this season. Mazi Smith has done nothing to alter his disappointing career trajectory, Osa Odighizuwa is approaching free agency and the numerous other band-aids and Bondo Dallas has plugged into the middle are extreme longshots to become long-term solutions at any point in their careers.

The same position that headlined the Cowboys wish list the last two offseasons, is the same position that’s likely to headline it again in 2025: DT

A good DT can be an anchor in the middle for other positions to play off of. Assessing the play of linebackers, safeties and edge players in 2024, has become almost an impossible task given the struggles at DT. The trickle-down effects of the poor DT play cannot be overstated.

Luckily for the Cowboys, DT is one of the easiest positions to fill in the offseason. Majority of the top-rated DTs in the league today have either hit free agency or switched teams through free agency at some point in their careers. While it’s a costly position to fill, it’s a position that’s readily available to DT-needy teams willing to spend and desperate for instant solutions.

DT is an unpredictable position to draft and often takes time to develop. Players rarely hit the ground running so if any position is worth paying for in free agency, it’s the one. But we’ve been down this road before. Recommendations, cause and effect explanations, and not-so-polite “I told you sos.”

At the end of the day, Jerry Jones just needs to charge his tablet.

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