A look at the Cincinnati Bengals’ 2024 NFL offseason: Plenty of salary cap room for one of the top AFC teams
Overview: The Bengals are a solid club that, at no point during the season, really seemed to have their quarterback at full strength. Joe Burrow played despite a calf ailment he sustained during training camp for the majority of the season. However, he was sidelined for the entire campaign after damaging a wrist ligament in a Week 11 game against the Ravens. Even though backup quarterback Jake Browning was playing well, Cincinnati was 5-5 at the time and had never been able to force its way into the postseason. For a club that had won the last two AFC titles and participated in the Super Bowl two seasons prior, it was a dismal conclusion.
The Bengals have a ton of salary-cap flexibility and Burrow will return in 2024, so they might reclaim their top spot in the conference in just one offseason. The Bengals are still an incredibly talented team, even though the defense needs a lot of improvement. The Bengals could re-enter the running for the Lombardi Trophy if they make a lot of money this offseason.
Key free agents
D.J. Reader WR Tyler Boyd OT Jonah Williams CB WR Tee Higgins DLAwuzie Chidobe
Who is present or absent? They could be able to accommodate everyone for a minimum of a year, given their cap room. Tee Higgins will get the franchise tag, and for the sake of continuity, they might be able to sign Tyler Boyd back to a minor contract. Reader’s availability for the 2024 season is uncertain because he recently had a quad injury that ended his season.
Key free-agent needs
Offensive line
Wide receiver
Cornerback
What causes the holes? Cincinnati still hasn’t developed a cohesive offensive line interior strategy. The fact that Jonah Williams is a free agent and the team might also need a new right tackle further complicates the situation. The Bengals are a little thin at cornerback as well, so they will need to invest in or choose a high pick this offseason. This offseason, the team might try to add pass-catchers.
Do they hold the cash? With a projected cap space of $52.2 million, the Bengals are among the league’s healthiest clubs in terms of cap room, per Spotrac.
Possible significant reductions
CBLB Germaine Pratt, Mike Hilton
Why they might be gone: The Bengals are in terrific position, so they don’t really need to take many cap hits, but they might decide to start the summer by dumping Hilton and Pratt. This season, just $1 million of Hilton’s $7.5 million and none of Pratt’s $6.9 million are guaranteed.