Tag: Bengals free agency

Bengals urged to chase underrated name in 2025 free agency

Should the Bengals go after this free agent?

Cincinnati Bengals star Logan Wilson is one of the better linebackers in the NFL, currently among the top 20 graded by Pro Football Focus. He could use a little help. His current running mate, Germaine Pratt, ranks 50th out of 83. Pratt does have one more year left on his contract but the Bengals can save $5.6 million in salary cap space if they decide to move on from Pratt next offseason.

Either way, the Bengals will look to upgrade the position next offseason and Bleacher Report recently mentioned a name that could fit, one that was recently released.

B/R named new Dolphins and former Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson as a potential free-agent target for the Bengals for 2025.

That leaves a few spots where an upgrade is needed and a linebacker to play alongside Logan Wilson is among them. Tyrel Dodson is worth a look. It’s easy to see the impact he has had with a rising Seattle Seahawks defense after putting together a strong 2023 campaign in Buffalo.

Dodson was surprisingly released this week by the Seahawks after starting the first nine games. He was picked up by Miami following his release. Dodson ranks 36th among linebackers.

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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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Bengals urged to add controversial free agent to save season

Should the Bengals take this risk in free agency?

The Cincinnati Bengals recently left their old habits behind by going after some big-name free agents, which was perhaps a sign that the seats are getting hot around the team.

But might they get controversial next?

Over at Bleacher Report, the scouting department there suggested one possible immediate fix for the defense — by highlighting edge rusher Randy Gregory as a guy they should pursue:

Randy Gregory is past his prime at 31 years old, but he still might be able to help. The Seahawks recently brought the veteran in for a visit. The talent has always been there for Gregory to make an impact—it’s a matter of him focusing on the field and showing up ready to play.

The embattled Gregory was a second-round pick in 2015 who has bounced around the league. He was most recently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past summer, but his failure to show up to OTAs got him released.

Cincinnati does need some help rushing the passer since, for whatever reason, former first-rounder Myles Murphy can’t log notable snaps.

Maybe Gregory isn’t the right fit, but the idea is sound and the team is suddenly willing to take risks on big names in November.

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Bengals, Xavien Howard failed to agree on deal

No deal for the Bengals and a big name.

The Cincinnati Bengals had veteran cornerback Xavien Howard in for a workout on Monday, but the two sides couldn’t agree on a deal.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Bengals made an offer to Howard after the workout but he’s since declined and gone back home while awaiting other calls.

The Bengals will need to look elsewhere for help at cornerback with Dax Hill lost for the season and Cam Taylor-Britt in the middle of a regression that has previously had him benched at least once.

Cincinnati also made an addition at running back in free agency on Monday, although not with the expected name.

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Bengals add running back in free agency to practice squad

The Bengals add to the roster via free agency.

The Cincinnati Bengals are adding help at running back in the form of free agent Gary Brightwell.

The report comes from Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz after news that the team would host veteran running back Leonard Fournette for a workout on Monday.

A sixth-round pick in 2021, Brightwell recently spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns over the last few months. He’s scored one touchdown on 41 career attempts.

The Bengals went and got help at running back with the rare trade deadline deal, but Khalil Herbert fumbled upon arrival and starter Chase Brown fumbled during last week’s loss, too.

With Zack Moss also out for the season, the Bengals have decided to add more help.

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Bengals should target old rival in free agency, says NFL analyst

The Bengals need help at CB…but do they need it this badly?

The Cincinnati Bengals don’t sound like a team about to go use free agency to find help at a battered cornerback position.

But that won’t stop outsiders from making suggestions.

Case in point, while tabbing cornerback as the weakest spot on the Bengals roster, Bleacher Report suggested veteran Marcus Peters as a possible solution:

The Bengals defense has struggled to help out its offense in the early portion of the season. A lot of it has to do with their inability to stop the run, but the secondary has had struggles, too. Cam Taylor-Britt was benched during the team’s Week 4 game against the Carolina Panthers, and the Bengals were 22nd in passer rating allowed heading into last week.

Bengals fans probably recoiled at the idea because Peters spent 2019-2022 with the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North.

Either way, the 31-year-old free agent is a pretty good example of the type of veteran the Bengals could go find, should they want to use the open market.

Peters allowed a 65.6 completion percentage last year over 65 targets with three touchdowns surrendered, but he did have a pick-six and five passes defended over the course of his 12 games.

For now, the Bengals hope that the return of DJ Ivey from injured reserve can offset the loss of Dax Hill.

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Bengals claim player off Falcons’ practice squad after Week 5 loss

The Bengals made an addition to the roster by swiping a player from the Falcons.

Coming out of the Week 5 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Cincinnati Bengals got started on what could be extensive roster moves by signing guard Andrew Stueber off the Atlanta Falcons practice squad.

The news comes from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and comes in the wake of Bengals tackle Amarius Mims suffering an injury during the loss to the Ravens.

Stueber spent the first two years of his career with New England after being selected in the seventh round, then went to Atlanta via a waiver claim over the summer.

Now, the Bengals add a little more depth to the interior of the offensive line, perhaps to give themselves wiggle room to have Cody Ford focus on tackle, should Mims need to miss time—and with Trent Brown already lost for the season.

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Bengals sign veteran free agent after wave of injuries

The Bengals add a free agent to the roster before Week 3.

The Cincinnati Bengals signed free agent defensive lineman Lawrence Guy on Tuesday while seeking help on the interior after a rash of injuries.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the news.

Guy, 34, is a former Super Bowl champion and immediate depth who can come in and help the rotation alongside Jay Tufele and Zach Carter. He’s started 122 games since 2012 with 500-plus tackles.

At the time of Guy’s signing, it’s unknown whether the team will have both B.J. Hill and Sheldon Rankins back for Week 3 after the starters left the loss to Kansas City with hamstring injuries.

The Bengals had initially planned for rookies McKinnley Jackson and Kris Jenkins Jr. to play big depth roles, but the former is on injured reserve and the latter is healing after a minor hand operation.

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Bengals hosting multiple free agents on workouts before Week 3

The Bengals are looking to free agency for help.

The Cincinnati Bengals will look to free agency for help after an endless stream of injuries to the interior of the defensive line.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Bengals will host veterans Lawrence Guy and Albert Huggins on workouts this week.

Guy, 34, was a seventh-rounder in 2011 with 500-plus career tackles and is a former Super Bowl champion who could provide immediate depth.

Huggins, undrafted in 2019 out of Clemson, has spent time with a variety of different teams, most recently the Dallas Cowboys.

Both B.J. Hill and Sheldon Rankins left last Sunday’s loss to Kansas City with hamstring injuries and the team hasn’t updated their status yet. Rookie McKinnley Jackson is on injured reserve and Kris Jenkins Jr., also a rookie and big part of the plan, is currently working his way back from a minor surgery.

If both starters can’t go and Jenkins doesn’t get back, the team would be forced to start Zach Carter and Jay Tufele in the middle with little rotational help beyond shifting ends inside.

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