The Bengals are reportedly prioritizing new deals for cornerbacks DJ Turner and Dax Hill. In a piece focusing primarily on Turner, Jay Morrison of SI.com says the contract-year defender is optimistic he will have an extension in place before the start of the regular season.
Turner was a second-round choice in the 2023 draft, so his rookie deal does not come with a fifth-year option (Hill, a 2022 first-rounder, is currently scheduled to play out the fifth-year option of his rookie pact in 2026). As Morrison writes, Turner had been staying away from the club during voluntary spring work, but he was training elsewhere and remained in constant contact with head coach Zac Taylor. Turner reported to OTAs last Monday to begin practicing.
When asked after Tuesday’s OTA session about the chances of an extension coming to fruition in the near future, Turner said, “I’m real hopeful. This is definitely where I want to be.” He added that he wanted to be at the facility prior to mandatory minicamp because he wanted to meet the new additions to the defense and to simply be around the team.
“There’s a business side of it that will be ongoing, but I love the way that he’s handled it,” Taylor said of Turner. “I love the way he’s communicated it. I love the way his energy’s been. I love the way he’s worked. It’s been great to get him back.”
Morrison acknowledges it will be a challenge to retain both Hill and Turner on the heels of expensive acquisitions like Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe, and Bryan Cook (together with the cap charges that were already on the books for Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins). Nonetheless, it makes sense that a team whose recent defensive struggles are well-documented would want to keep their talented starting CB tandem in the fold.
Turner was a regular defensive presence during his first two professional seasons, but he handled a career-high snap share (89%) in 2025. He notched a pair of interceptions and comfortably set a new personal best with 18 pass deflections while making strides in terms of his performance in coverage (Pro Football Focus considered him the fourth-best cover corner in the NFL last season).
Other corners like Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez are seeking extensions as well, and those players are eyeing the top of the CB market, which is presently topped by Trent McDuffie’s $31MM average annual value. Turner likely will not get to that number, but he is surely targeting an AAV of at least $20.1MM, which nine corners currently enjoy. That will represent a rather sizable raise on the $3.76MM salary he is due in 2026.