Cincinnati Bengals Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Patriots Made Late Push For Joe Thuney

March 28th, 2021 at 1:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Before Joe Thuney left for the Chiefs, the Patriots made a late push to keep him in New England, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. In addition, the Bengals and Chargers were also in on the standout guard.

[RELATED: Chiefs Sign Joe Thuney]

The Patriots shocked everyone by tagging Thuney last year. This time around, they opted against cuffing him again at a 20% increase, but they still tried to keep him with a multi-year offer. Ultimately, the Chiefs won out – they were the first team to put an offer on the table for Thuney and it proved to be the most lucrative of the bunch. The longtime starter is now tied to Kansas City for five years at a whopping $80MM. The first two years are fully guaranteed at $32.5MM. Meanwhile, Year 3 goes from guaranteed-for-injury to 100% guaranteed in 2022, so $48MM of the deal is effectively locked in. Thuney didn’t come cheap, but he’ll help to fortify a line that has lost starting tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz.

When Thuney went elsewhere, the Bengals pivoted towards lower cost moves, such as re-signing guard Quinton Spain. Unless they make a splashier signing like veteran Nick Easton, they’ll probably look to find a starter early on in the draft. Meanwhile, the Chargers managed to ink All-Pro center Corey Linsley and versatile lineman Matt Feiler, so Justin Herbert should be well protected.

In addition to those aforementioned teams, the Jets also tried to land Thuney. He’s long been a target of Gang Green – they were planning to make a big push for him last year, too, up until the Patriots kept him from the open market.

49ers, Jets Did Not Discuss No. 2 Pick

March 26th, 2021 at 4:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers’ decision to trade multiple future first-round picks to move up to No. 3 overall concluded a weekslong process, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that San Francisco held trade talks with both Atlanta and Cincinnati for their respective top-five selections (Nos. 4 and 5 overall, respectively).

However, the Jets and 49ers did not discuss the No. 2 overall pick, according to Schefter. Despite the high cost, the 49ers opted to move as high as they could in this draft. Having turned to ex-49ers coaches to help ignite a rebuild, the Jets have been connected to BYU quarterback Zach Wilson with that choice. The Jets attended Wilson’s pro day Friday, and Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes John Lynch was present at the Provo, Utah, showcase as well. (Interestingly, Jaguars HC Urban Meyer did not, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets.)

While GM Joe Douglas may still trade the pick and go with Sam Darnold, the reality Corey Davis said he signed up for, quarterbacks are a near-certainty to go first and second overall. With the 49ers making this move, QBs should be expected to go first, second and third for the first time since 1999 (Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb, Akili Smith).

The Jets chose Darnold third overall in 2018 but saw the once-coveted quarterback regress last season, and the team has not seen the USC product justify the previous regime’s investment. Douglas not being with the Jets when they chose Darnold figures to be important here. The 49ers trading up points to the team believing the Jets will draft Wilson second, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes, leaving Justin Fields, Trey Lance or Mac Jones — among QBs — on the board after the Jaguars and Jets make their respective picks.

Douglas keeping Darnold and trading out of that draft slot would open the door to another team trading up to No. 2 and potentially leaving Wilson on the board, should the trading-up franchise prefer one of the other QBs. However, Wilson-to-New York has become the most likely scenario after the Jags begin the draft with Trevor Lawrence.

Regardless of where Wilson goes in the draft, the Dolphins trading out of the No. 3 slot almost certainly means the rest of the non-Jags/Jets/49ers contingent will be down to two of these passers. The Falcons have been connected to quarterbacks as well. No draft has started with four straight QBs going off the board.

Bengals’ Giovani Bernard Drawing Trade Interest

March 25th, 2021 at 12:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Multiple teams have called on Bengals running back Giovani Bernard (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). The Bengals are seeking a restructuring of Bernard’s contract, but if they can’t come to terms, Bernard could wind up in a different uniform this year.

Bernard, 30 in November, still profiles as one of the league’s best pass-catching tailbacks. Last year, he managed 47 catches for 355 yards and three receiving touchdowns — his best line since 2017. Since 2013, Bernard has reeled in 342 grabs for 2,867 yards, good for an 8.4 yards per catch average.

The Bengals recently re-upped Samaje Perine, a sign that Bernard could be pushed out by the only NFL team he’s ever known. Currently, Bernard has one year left on his deal with $3.7MM in base salary and a $4.76MM cap hit. By trading or releasing him, the Bengals would save $4.1MM against the cap versus $667K in dead money.

Bernard and his soft hands should draw plenty of interest, but the Bengals may want to get a deal done before suitors find an alternative, like free agent running back Duke Johnson.

Bengals To Sign Ricardo Allen

March 24th, 2021 at 11:41am CST by Zachary Links

After being cut by the Falcons, Ricardo Allen has found a new home. On Wednesday, the Bengals agreed to sign the veteran safety to a one-year deal (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).

Allen operated as a first-string safety for the Falcons from 2015-2020, including a start in Super Bowl LI. Despite losing his 2018 season to injury, the 29-year-old has been mostly healthy over the last two years.

The Bengals made a point to upgrade their secondary by bringing in new cornerbacks like Eli Apple, Mike Hilton, and Chidobe Awuzie. Allen, meanwhile, gives them another option at safety on what should be a fairly low-cost deal.

In his 12 games last season, the 29-year-old registered 25 stops and a pair of interceptions. He comes to Cincy with plenty of veteran experience, having appeared in 77 games (76 starts) since 2014.

Bengals To Meet With Ryan Kerrigan

March 24th, 2021 at 10:14am CST by Zachary Links

Ryan Kerrigan will meet with the Bengals on Wednesday (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). If things go well, Washington’s all-time sack leader could be the latest addition to Cincinnati’s revamped defense.

The Bengals recently dropped Geno Atkins – one of their own all-time sack leaders — leaving the door open for a veteran like Kerrigan. Kerrigan’s playing time dropped considerably in 2020 — the former Pro Bowler played on just 38% of the team’s snaps and finished with 5.5 sacks. After the season, Kerrigan made it known that he wants an opportunity to start.

“I definitely want to be a starter,” Kerrigan said in January. “I mean, I think any player would say that. I don’t think anybody just wants to settle for being a role player or a reserve player…I’ve got to really be open-minded to several factors and open-minded to all teams, and that’s kind of what I plan to do. I definitely feel like I’ve still got a lot of ball in me, a lot of good productive years ahead.”

Kerrigan, 33 in August, could still return to Washington, though he’ll probably want some assurances when it comes to his role.

Bengals To Add CB Eli Apple

March 23rd, 2021 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

After an injury-plagued season that ended midway through, Eli Apple will receive another chance. The Bengals are signing the veteran cornerback to a one-year contract, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

The Panthers released Apple last October, doing so after he experienced consistent hamstring trouble. Despite now being on team No. 4, the former top-10 pick is still just 25. And he is returning to Ohio, where he once starred as a college prospect.

Apple’s Ohio State work prompted the Giants to use their No. 9 overall pick on him in 2016. However, Apple has not been able to justify the pre-draft hype as a pro. Having since bounced to the Saints and Panthers, Apple will join Mike Hilton and Chidobe Awuzie as offseason Bengals cornerback acquisitions.

Last year, Apple reached a one-year, $6MM agreement to join the Raiders. That deal fell through amid the NFL’s first COVID-19-affected offseason. Apple ended up signing with the Panthers for half that amount, but he only played 28 defensive snaps with Carolina. A hamstring injury sent Apple to IR, and after he aggravated the injury upon return, the Panthers cut bait. Apple sat out the final two months of last season.

While Apple is coming off essentially a medical redshirt campaign, the ex-Buckeye star has made 48 NFL starts — including 25 for a Saints team that won the NFC South in each of his two seasons in New Orleans. The Saints traded fourth- and seventh-round picks for Apple in 2018 and used him as a full-time player.

Apple will now join a Bengals team that has struggled extensively on defense over the past two seasons. Cincinnati lost William Jackson in free agency but has now acquired three veteran corners this offseason. They will join Trae Waynes, who missed all of last season due to injury, in an effort to upgrade the rebuilding team’s secondary.

Bengals To Re-Sign Quinton Spain

March 23rd, 2021 at 1:56pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It looks like Quinton Spain is headed back to Cincinnati. The veteran offensive lineman is finalizing a one-year deal with the Bengals, a source told Tyler Dragon of Cincinnati.com (Twitter link).

Moments before Spain had alluded to the deal on social media, tweeting “prove it year again I been there before I know how to handle it,” a reference to the short-term nature of the pact. Spain signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent back in 2015, and immediately made an impact in Tennessee. He started six games at guard as a rookie, then became a full-time starter in 2016.

He started 42 games for them from 2016-18, then signed with the Bills for 2019. He started all 16 games for Buffalo that season, and got a three-year, $15MM extension from them around this time last year. He didn’t make it very far into that deal, as he was benched just a couple of games into the 2020 season and then cut in October.

Cincinnati scooped him up, and he ended up starting eight games for them down the stretch. He’ll turn 30 in August. He played solid enough for the Bengals, who are looking to remake Joe Burrow‘s protection this offseason. They recently signed Riley Reiff to be their new starting right tackle, and have been connected to franchise left tackles like Oregon’s Penei Sewell in next month’s draft.

Bengals Re-Sign P Kevin Huber

March 22nd, 2021 at 10:04pm CST by Ben Levine

For the 13th-straight season, Kevin Huber will be punting for the Cincinnati Bengals. The team re-signed the veteran special teamer today, per the NFL’s transaction report.

Huber has established himself as a Cincinnati legend over the years. Following a pair of All-American seasons for the Cincinnati Bearcats, Huber joined the Bengals as a fifth-round pick in 2009. Since that time, the punter has only missed a pair of games for Cincy, earning both a Pro Bowl nod and first-team All-Pro recognition in 2014. Huber owns a number of franchise records, including punts (914) and punting yards (41,362). Huber has also appeared in the fourth-most games (190) in franchise history, and he could break the team record (207, held by defensive back Ken Riley) by playing two more seasons.

Huber had another steady season in 2020. The 35-year-old collected 71 punts for 3,350 yards, with his 47.2 yards per punt serving as a new career-high.

The Bengals special teams units may look a bit different in 2021. The team re-signed long snapper Clark Harris, but they watched as starting kicker Randy Bullock left for the Lions.

Nick Easton To Visit Bengals, Texans

March 22nd, 2021 at 2:23pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Nick Easton‘s market is starting to heat up it seems. The veteran offensive lineman was cut by the Saints about six weeks ago, and not too long after we heard that he’d already been in touch with four teams.

Things went quiet after that though, until now. Easton has “possible visits” with the Bengals and Texans in the coming days, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Fowler notes that New Orleans has also expressed interest in bringing him back “if they can make it work cap-wise.” That tracks with what we heard back in February, as the Saints cut him in as part of their complicated maneuvering to get under the cap.

Easton entered the league as an UDFA in 2015, and became a part-time starter with the Vikings in 2016. He became a full-time starter in 2017, showed well, and after missing the entire 2018 season due to injury signed a four-year, $24MM pact with the Saints in 2019.

He made it just two years into that deal, and started nine games for New Orleans last year. He’s still only 28, and with his NFL experience at both center and guard would make for a solid late signing for teams in need of interior line help. The Bengals are looking to completely remake Joe Burrow‘s protection for 2021, and recently added fellow former Viking Riley Reiff to start at right tackle.

Contract Details: Trubisky, Andrews, Carson, Jones, Reiff, Joyner

March 21st, 2021 at 6:57pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Let’s catch up on the latest contract details from around the league:

QB Mitchell Trubisky, Bills: One-year, $2MM base salary with $1.5MM guaranteed, $500K signing bonus, and $2MM available in incentives. Via Field Yates of ESPN on Twitter.
C David Andrews, Patriots: Four-years, $19 MM, with $6.5MM fully guaranteed. More money available in play-time incentives. Via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network on Twitter.
RB Chris Carson, Seahawks: Two-years, $10.425MM, $4.5MM signing bonus and $1MM guaranteed salary for 2021. $4.5MM non-guaranteed 2022 salary and $450K in per-game roster bonuses in ‘22. Up to $1.4MM in incentives in both years. Via Dan Graziano of ESPN on Twitter.
RB Aaron Jones, Packers: Four-years, $48MM. The $13MM signing bonus is the only fully guaranteed money in the contract. A $3.5MM roster bonus is due on the first day of next league year. For 2023, a $7MM roster bonus is due on the third day of the league year. You can read the full breakdown of each year of the contract via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com.
OL Riley Reiff, Bengals: One-year, $7.5MM. $5.5MM guaranteed. We hadn’t known the terms of this contract yet, and $7.5MM is a pretty decent price for the Bengals for a solid starting tackle. Via Yates on Twitter.
S Lamarcus Joyner, Jets: One-year, up to $4.5MM. $2.5MM is guaranteed, with a $1MM signing bonus and $1.5MM base salary. Up to $500K in per game active roster bonuses and $1.5MM in playing time and interception incentives. Via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter.

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