The Bengals are not picking up defensive end Myles Murphy‘s fifth-year option, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. Murphy is now on track to reach free agency next year, though the Bengals hope to extend him before then, per Conway.
As the 28th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Murphy’s option would have cost the Bengals $14.48MM in 2027. They did not see enough over Murphy’s first three years to lock in that salary. Murphy has totaled just 10 starts (all last season) and 8.5 sacks in 47 games.
Murphy, a former Clemson standout, logged his first of two 17-game seasons as a rookie. Stuck behind Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard and Cameron Sample on the depth chart, Murphy played just 27.8% of defensive snaps. He ended the year with 20 tackles and three sacks.
A knee injury limited Murphy to 13 games in his second season, though his defensive snap share increased to 31.02%. However, Murphy failed to record a sack during a second straight 20-tackle campaign.
While Murphy’s 2024 was a disappointment, he took obvious steps forward last year. The Bengals lost Hubbard to retirement last offseason, and injuries held Hendrickson to just seven games. Murphy stayed healthy and led Bengals defensive ends in snap share (62.62%). Along the way, the 24-year-old notched career highs in tackles (52), QB hits (10), TFL (six) and sacks (5.5). Pro Football Focus ranked Murphy’s performance a middle-of-the-pack 63rd among 119 edge defenders and credited him with the league’s 27th-most hurries (31).
Regardless of whether Murphy lands a new contract before next season, he will once again take on a significant role in their defense. Hendrickson exited for the Ravens’ mammoth free agent offer (four years, $112MM), while Joseph Ossai joined the Jets on a three-year, $36MM agreement. The Bengals replaced them to some extent with former Seahawk Boye Mafe, whom they inked to a three-year, $60MM pact, and second-round pick Cashius Howell. Murphy, Mafe, Howell, 2025 first-rounder Shemar Stewart and the rest of the team’s defensive linemen should benefit from the arrival of ex-Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, whom the Bengals acquired for the 10th overall pick.