One of the bigger points of frustration to this injury-riddled campaign for the Cincinnati Bengals has been the dark cloud that is the team’s upcoming free-agent class.
Simply put, the team won’t be able to keep the gang all together again.
The Bengals have starters on both sides of the ball scheduled to hit the open market over the summer. And with Joe Burrow’s big contract on the books and thinking about the future for the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, this upcoming class has always looked like it will feature some really tough calls by the team.
Here’s a look at a handful of guys who could be playing their last games in stripes.
WR Tee Higgins
It’s easy to handwave this one — the Bengals will just hit Higgins with the franchise tag and take the Jessie Bates approach, right? Still, we’d be remiss not to mention one of the best wideouts in football, who might be the odd man out over the long-term on the same depth chart as Chase.
WR Tyler Boyd
Barring a stunner of a cheap contract, this is surely Boyd’s last few games in stripes. Even without it, the team has drafted the likes of Charlie Jones and can also turn to Trenton Irwin and others in the slot.
OT Jonah Williams
Williams’ strong play at right tackle has made this a tougher call than it would have been one year ago. Now, the team has to weigh whether it’s worth paying market price for a guy who has finally locked down the spot.
CB Chidobe Awuzie
Awuzie was the No. 1 corner as recently as last year before injuries, issues that stretched into and ultimately seemed to derail this season for him. The youth movement would seem to suggest he’s on his way out the door.
TE Drew Sample
Without Burrow on the field, Sample’s real value has been easy to see. Whether the team brings him back and implements more of that into Burrow’s offense, though, remains to be seen.
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither
Davis-Gaither was never able to fully break through and now the team has coughed up big extensions for the two main ‘backers on the roster, so ADG could seek more snaps elsewhere.
DL DJ Reader
Unfortunately, Reader might’ve already played his last game with the team due to his season-ending quad tear. One of the best nose tackles in football, it’s hard to gauge anything about Reader’s future right now, which especially includes whether he’ll re-up with the Bengals.
