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Bengals Must Stop 'Distracting' From Contending

Bengals Must Stop 'Distracting' From Contending originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Cincinnati Bengals are making themselves look silly right now. No, not the players or coaches. Ownership. In a summer that should bring excitement for the fanbase, we're instead talking and writing about contract disputes and holdouts. Advertisement Why? Money. And it's a bad look for the franchise, and ultimately, the league. CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin hit the nail on the head when he wrote, "It's money. It always is in Cincinnati." "The grass is green. The sun is bright. What else marks summer in the NFL? Oh, that's right, the Cincinnati Bengals refusing to spend money," Benjamin wrote. "Now we're talking. Mandatory minicamps are wrapping up around the league, and the headlining discussion about the Bengals isn't Joe Burrow coming off an NFL-leading 43-touchdown season. It's not Ja'Marr Chase coming off an NFL-leading 1,708-yard receiving season. Or Al Golden taking over the defense. Or Cincinnati's chances of outlasting the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs in the hunt for AFC glory. "It's money. It always is in Cincinnati. And not for the right reasons." Advertisement It seems like the Bengals go halfway and then stop short of the ultimate roster goal. They paid two stars and kept Joe Burrow happy. But on the other side of the ball, they're making up for it by being overly frugal. And Benjamin thinks it's taking away from what should be a summer to celebrate accomplishments. "This should've been the offseason of celebration for Bengals brass. After all, the front office finally paid Chase and Tee Higgins, investing in Burrow's top playmakers with not only words but actions. This was the Bengals' big pivot, from reluctant spenders to willing championship hunters! Except, months later, we're right back to square one with a notoriously -- dare we say dangerously -- frugal organization." Related: Bengals Get Brutal OTAs Grade For One Major Reason Related: Bengals 2025 Training Camp Dates Announced This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.