Who's in, out for Bengals ahead of NFL free agency? Predictions for Cincinnati's roster
The Cincinnati Bengals are well on their way to shaping their roster for the upcoming season. The team on Monday released veteran guard Alex Cappa after three seasons. This comes on the heels of the Bengals also cutting defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins ahead of the NFL combine.
More cuts are expected in the next week as the Bengals prepare for free agency to start. Cincinnati's front office can start talking to players who are scheduled to become free agents on March 10 at noon ET until March 12 at 4 p.m. ET when the new league year begins.
When the NFL calendar flips, the players who aren't under contract with their respective teams are officially free agents meaning they are free to sign with any of the other 31 teams. The Bengals will be looking to add players externally while they also focus on giving extensions to three of their best players in Tee Higgins, Ja'Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson. Higgins is the only one of those players not under contract for next season.
What happens next with Higgins and the Bengals is coming soon as the team placed the franchise tag on him Monday. Chase will be playing on the fifth-year option next year and Hendrickson has one year left on his contract.
The Bengals have needs at defensive tackle, edge, linebacker, safety and guard as they enter this portion of the offseason.
Let's take a closer look at who is likely to be cut in the next few days, who is expected to return and who's up in the air.
Who's not expected to return to the Bengals:
Cornerback Mike Hilton
Defensive end Sam Hubbard
Safety Vonn Bell
Linebacker Germaine Pratt
Who's likely coming back:
Tight end Mike Gesicki
Offensive lineman Cody Ford
Up in the air:
Safety Geno Stone
Defensive tackle B.J. Hill
Defensive end Joseph Ossai
Running back Zack Moss
Linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither
Tackle Trent Brown
Defensive end Cam Sample
The Bengals will likely have over $50 million in cap space when they get to free agency next week. This includes cuts the team makes, and the money Cincinnati will set aside for draft picks, college free agents and injured players.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals free agents, salary cap predictions before NFL free agency
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
29 minutes ago
- New York Times
Packers releasing Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander: Sources
The Green Bay Packers will release two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander, league sources confirmed Monday. Alexander has played all seven of his NFL seasons in Green Bay and earned Pro Bowl honors in 2020 and 2022. A first-round pick out of Louisville, Alexander has struggled to stay healthy over the last two seasons, playing in just 14 games. Advertisement Green Bay offered Alexander a restructured contract last month, The Athletic previously reported. He had two years remaining on a contract that was worth $21 million annually. The 28-year-old enjoyed his best statistical season in 2022, recording five interceptions and 14 passes defended over 16 games. Last season, Alexander played in just seven games, recording two interceptions and one touchdown. NFL Network first reported the news. This story will be updated.
USA Today
30 minutes ago
- USA Today
USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Fred Davis in in focus
USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Fred Davis in in focus The countdown to USC's 2025 football season is officially on! The Trojans kick off their new campaign 83 days from today. You need something to help you while away the days and hours in the spring and summer. This is one way to do so. In this new series, countdown to kickoff, we will be counting down the days by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. Today, we take a look at USC All-American tight end Fred Davis. Position: Tight end Years played at USC: 2004-2007 Career highlights: Davis spent his first two years at USC in a reserve role, behind starting tight ends Dominque Byrd and Alex Holmes, before becoming a starter as a junior in 2006. As a senior in 2007, he had a breakout season, catching 62 passes for 881 yards and eight touchdowns. For his performance that season, he was named an All-American and won the John Mackey Award as the top tight end in the country. After USC: Davis was selected in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He would go on to play six seasons in the league, all with Washington. His most career receiving yards in a season were 796 in 2011, and his most touchdowns were six in 2009. In 2014, Davis was suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He was reinstated a year later, but would never play another game in the league.
USA Today
40 minutes ago
- USA Today
Where Eagles' offensive players land among the NFL's top 32 at critical positions
Where Eagles' offensive players land among the NFL's top 32 at critical positions away, we're examining where the Eagles' offensive players rank among the NFL's top 32 at key positions. The Eagles have one of the NFL's most explosive offensive units. They will maintain that dominance despite losing Makhi Becton (Chargers) and Kenneth Gainwell (Steelers) in free agency, among other key contributors to depart. Even with all of that, Philadelphia will enter the 2025 regular season with a top-five player at five positions, and several Pro Bowl-caliber players at tight end and guard. The Eagles also landed in the top five of the rankings of the top QB-WR duo. Training camp is fast approaching, and that means Pro Football Focus will rank the top 32 NFL players at every position while evaluating each roster from top to bottom. With the Eagles set for a Tuesday mandatory minicamp before breaking for the summer, we're looking at where each player landed in positional rankings. QB Jalen Hurts landed in the top five, at No. 5. What PFF said: Jalen Hurts' 2024 campaign — capped by an impressive Super Bowl run — was a return to form after a turbulent 2023 season. A year earlier, Hurts too often pressed in high-leverage moments and struggled under pressure, but he flipped the script this past season, showing poise and control even when things broke down around him. After a slow start, he found his rhythm and delivered when it mattered most. Over the past three seasons, his 91.5 overall grade ranks fifth among all quarterbacks. RB Saquon Barkley landed at No. 2 on the list behind Derrick Henry. What PFF said: Barkley is a big reason why the Philadelphia Eagles are the reigning Super Bowl champions. He earned an 82.7 PFF rushing grade in 2024 and talied the most runs of 10 yards or more (55). He also led the NFL with 2,504 rushing yards. WR With the summer fast approaching, annual position rankings are being unveiled. Philadelphia had Jalen Hurts land in the top five for quarterbacks, and in Pro Football Focus's ranking of the top 32 NFL wide receivers, A.J. Brown landed the top spot, with DeVonta Smith in the top 20. What PFF said: A.J. BROWN, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Brown dominates defensive backs across the board, but his success against single coverage is especially notable. He earned the highest receiving grade versus single coverage in 2024 (96.6) and leads the league in that category over the past three seasons (2022–24) with a 97.0 grade. He can win in every way, against any defense. DEVONTA SMITH, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Smith is about as reliable a No. 2 wide receiver as there is. He has earned receiving grades between 77.0 and 83.5 in each of his four seasons, with 2024 marking a career high at 83.5. His contested catch rate has consistently hovered around 40% throughout that span. TE Goedert dropped to No. 8 on the list, but he's still in the top five when the money is on the line in the postseason. What PFF said: 8. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles Goedert's PFF grades have dipped in the past two years compared to the first five seasons of his career, but he remains one of the best in the game. Competing for touches in the Eagles' offense, Goedert earned a 75.8 PFF receiving grade in 2024 and is tied for 12th in PFF WAR across the past two seasons. Offensive Tackle The Eagles have the top offensive line in the NFL, and one of the most significant contributors to sustained success starts with the bookends at offensive tackle. Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson have cemented themselves as the top duo in the NFL, and the former Australian Rugby star has overtaken the future Hall of Famer in Pro Football Focus rankings. PFF ranked the top 32 offensive tackles in the NFL, with Jordan Mailata surpassing Trent Williams for the No. 1 spot, while Lane Johnson secured No. 5. What PFF said: "Mailata was the most complete offensive lineman in the NFL in 2024." Eagles schedule 2025: Study the Philadelphia Eagles' week-by-week schedule with times, TV, and more. "Only two offensive tackles earned PFF pass-blocking grades above 90.0, and only two earned PFF run-blocking grades above 90.0. Philadelphia's left tackle was the only one to achieve both feats. His 95.2 PFF overall grade also led the position." "Johnson, the highest-ranked right tackle on this list, was one of just two offensive tackles to earn PFF pass-blocking and run-blocking grades over 85.0 in 2024, with the other being his teammate Jordan Mailata." "Johnson did not surrender a sack and gave up pressure on only 2.2% of pass plays during the 2024 regular season, which ranked second among all offensive tackles and led right tackles." Offensive Guard Landon Dickerson is an All-Pro and landed at No. 5 on the list of the top 32 offensive guards. What PFF said: Dickerson has been one of the most well-rounded and consistent interior linemen since the day he stepped foot on an NFL field. 2024 was his best season yet, as he earned a career-best 78.6 PFF overall grade, which ranked eighth among guards. His pass protection stands out, with Dickerson placing in the 80th percentile in PFF pass-blocking grade on true pass sets in his career. Center Cam Jurgens is a Pro Bowler, but somehow landed at No. 13 on the list. What PFF: Jurgens has struggled at times as a pass protector, but his overall grading profile since becoming the Eagles' starting center shows an upward trend that should continue into 2025. If you exclude Jurgens' playoff performance, during which he was battling an injury, his PFF overall grade (67.1) charted as a top-10 mark at the position.
