The Cincinnati Bengals begin player-acquisition season next week. They remain among the most fascinating teams in the league with a line of foundational players up for free agency and critical needs in the trenches, as well as potential new paths at safety, running back and pass catchers.
What will they address in the draft? What will be in free agency? How will significant assets be used on specific positions? All of these questions will play out over the next five months, but here’s a breakdown of what I see as the Bengals’ most likely roster path to opening day.
It includes a nine-pick draft, seven external free agents, multiple LSU reunions, one major cut and Tee Higgins staying put on the franchise tag.
GO DEEPERBengals free-agent targets: Pinpointing options using recent history, desired profilesQuarterbacks (2)
Starter: Joe Burrow
Backup: Jake Browning
Analysis: Not much to say here. Browning was tendered as an exclusive rights-free agent and will return as a comfortable option if Burrow misses time again.
Latest edition of The Growler with @ByJayMorrison:
🔙 Possibility of TE reunions
🫵🏻 Picking the 5 most realistic #Bengals FA signings
😃 Jay’s Got (happy) Stats
✌️ Forging world peace
🟢: https://t.co/fqL6U7QzZC pic.twitter.com/Y8Jz64v6jb
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) March 6, 2024
Running backs (4)
Starter: Zack Moss (FA, Colts)
Complement: Chase Brown
3DRB: Clyde Edwards-Helaire (FA, Chiefs)
Rookie: Isaac Guerendo (Louisville, fifth round)
Analysis: The rebuild finally happens. The Bengals have never truly reformed the running back group in the image of the new offense with Burrow. I project Joe Mixon to be released, the Bengals to look to free agency for part of the new group and grab a Day 3 running back for a second consecutive season. Take your pick, but looking for a back with some power to go with explosiveness to replace Mixon’s size would make sense. Also, I’ve been calling for a Burrow-CEH reunion forever and it makes sense as a value signing to finally replace the Samaje Perine role.
GO DEEPERDehner Jr.: Post-combine Bengals thoughts include draft options, Joe Mixon's futureWide receivers (6)
Starters: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Ricky Pearsall (Florida, second round)
Backups: Andrei Iosivas, Charlie Jones, Trenton Irwin
Analysis: The draft class at wide receiver goes so deep you could find the third starter any time on Day 2. There’s a bucket of them that would make sense but I plucked Florida’s Pearsall to be available at No. 49 for his strong hands, explosiveness and potential to be Burrow’s dynamic slot receiver of the next four years. Meanwhile, Irwin returns as a catch-all backup while the Bengals hope a big jump occurs for the 2023 rookie receiver duo.
Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins can try to make another playoff run together with Higgins on the franchise tag. (Brian Spurlock / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Tight ends (4)
Starter: Hayden Hurst (FA, Panthers)
Backups: Drew Sample, Tanner Hudson, Ben Sinnott (Kansas State, fourth round)
Analysis: This position could go many ways in free agency, but the reunion with Hurst feels like a logical fit. He would love a return to Cincinnati and the Bengals loved his energy, production and chemistry with Burrow in 2022. Keeping Sample and Hudson after their valuable 2023 seasons makes perfect sense, and then the team finally drafts a traits-based prospect early on Day 3. In this case, Kansas State’s Sinnott, who put on a show last season for the Wildcats (and everyone at the combine).
Advertisem*nt
Offensive line (9)
Starters: LT Orlando Brown Jr., LG Cordell Volson, C Ted Karras, RG Alex Cappa, RT Mekhi Becton (FA, Jets)
Backups: OT JC Latham (Alabama, first round), OL Cody Ford, C/G Drake Nugent (Michigan, fifth round-comp), OL Jaxson Kirkland
Analysis: The plan of a mid-tier starting right tackle pairing with a first-round pick at No. 18 classifies as the most likely path ahead for the Bengals at right tackle. It makes far too much sense given the nature of free-agent costs and plethora of quality at the top of the draft. Latham is the one here because of his incredible power, size and anchor, but pick your pony among the tackles in the first round. Also, look for a late-round center who could compete with Trey Hill and with development potentially replace Karras after this season. There’s room for another free-agent, veteran depth piece on the interior depending on how the market shakes out, but I’m intrigued with the development of Kirkland to win a competition in camp.
GO DEEPERCan the Bengals finally solidify Joe Burrow’s protection this offseason?Defensive line (10)
Starters: Edges Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, 3T B.J. Hill, DT DJ Reader
Backups: Myles Murphy, Joseph Ossai, Cam Sample, Teair Tart (FA, Texans), Kris Jenkins (Michigan, third round), Justin Rogers (Auburn, sixth round)
Analysis: The defensive tackle market will be among the most challenging to navigate while also the top priority for Cincinnati. Inevitably, I have them signing Tart to pair with Hill and provide depth up front. Then a double dip in the draft with the freaky athletic Jenkins a potential starter in 2025 and looking for another big body late on Day 3 in the mold of Josh Tupou taking the 330-pound Rogers.
Linebackers (5)
Starters: Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt
Backups: Akeem Davis-Gaither, Markus Bailey, Darius Muasau (UCLA, seventh round)
Analysis: Special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons would very much appreciate Davis-Gaither and Bailey re-signing with the team. They ranked among his best core-four players and the idea of training a new batch of rookies for those roles would be frustrating. Either way, a new rookie who can be a special teams player at the position should come off the board somewhere toward the end of Day 3.
Advertisem*nt
Cornerbacks (6)
Starters: Cam Taylor-Britt, DJ Turner, Mike Hilton
Backups: Dax Hill, DJ Ivey, Kristian Fulton (FA, Titans)
Analysis: Considering how many free-agent, veteran safeties are available, it certainly feels like the Bengals could find nice value at that position and land someone. In that scenario, I’m betting they would then move Hill to cornerback. He could compete with Turner for the starting job on the outside or perhaps be first off the bench behind Hilton in the slot. Then filling out the back of the room should involve another veteran corner to compete, in this case taking a shot at Fulton, a former second-round pick who struggled in Tennessee last year. He’s close friends with Chase and could potentially reconnect to bring the best out of him.
GO DEEPERHow the curious case of Dax Hill became a pivot point of Bengals' offseasonSafeties (4)
Starters: Darnell Savage (FA, Packers), Jordan Battle
Backups: Nick Scott, Tycen Anderson
Analysis: The safety market is fascinating and this could be anybody, but Savage has that feeling of like when the Bengals signed Vonn Bell as a player still ascending, a former high pick, ballhawk reputation, had prolonged run of solid play with the Packers. Plus, at 26 he’s an age-profile fit. Beyond that, they draft another safety capable of playing solidly on special teams, but he needs to be good enough to cut Scott, who would be a special teams asset and backup with starting experience in this system. I think they just might hang on to Scott since he would only save $2 million in cap space this year.
Could veteran Darnell Savage be the answer at safety for the Bengals? (Photo by Larry Radloff / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Specialists (3)
Starters: K Evan McPherson, LS Cal Adomitis, P Tommy Townsend
Analysis: Punter Brad Robbins will receive competition in camp, the only question being how serious. This would be the most serious scenario. Townsend was let go by the Chiefs, who weren’t interested in paying for one of the league’s best punters. The Bengals might be just sick enough of what transpired the last two years to make the move.
(Top photo: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)
