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Bengals QB Joe Burrow Says Throwing Wrist Still Not 100%

July 6th, 2025 at 8:20am CST by Rory Parks

Much of the discussion surrounding the Bengals this offseason has been focused upon new deals for wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and edge rusher Trey Hendrickson (the Hendrickson matter continues to drag on with no obvious end in sight). Star quarterback Joe Burrow, meanwhile, has taken advantage of his status with the franchise and in the league to advocate for extensions for Higgins – who once appeared unlikely to stay in Cincinnati given the investment the club knew it would be making in Chase – and Hendrickson.

During mandatory minicamp last month, Burrow also talked about his own performance and his hopes for the upcoming campaign. Interestingly, he said the torn ligament he suffered in his right (throwing) wrist in November of 2023, which ended that season prematurely, continued to impact him last year.

“I think I talked about it last year – I still wasn’t quite back to throwing it the way that I expect,” Burrow said (via SI.com’s Jay Morrison). “It’s improved this year, and it will continue to improve. As long as I keep making those reps, taking the extra time to get that rhythm back, it will continue to improve.”

Those comments are surprising for several reasons. One, even though the timing and nature of the injury threatened Burrow’s availability for the Bengals’ offseason program in 2024, the two-time Pro Bowler was already throwing by early May of 2024. Additionally, Burrow was terrific last season, leading the league with 4,918 passing yards and 43 passing touchdowns while throwing just nine interceptions in a full slate of games. He did that while maintaining a 70.6% completion percentage and finishing third in the NFL in both quarterback rating (108.5) and QBR (74.7).

That performance led to a fourth-place finish in MVP voting, which may have been impacted by the fact that Cincinnati did not qualify for the playoffs. Still, the team would surely sign up for a repeat of his 2024 showing, albeit with more success in the win-loss department.

The Bengals’ inability to return to the postseason over the past two years is partially attributable to their poor starts. The club lost its first two contests of the 2023 slate and its first three games in 2024 and eventually proved unable to make up that ground. Morrison suggests those slow starts, in turn, were a function of Burrow’s health.

The former Heisman Trophy winner suffered a calf strain in training camp in 2023 and did not post a QB rating over 85.6 until Week 5 of that season. Last year, of course, he was still dealing with wrist rehab, but his play was mostly elite from Week 2 onward, despite the nagging wrist issue.

While acknowledging his team’s need to avoid digging an early hole, Burrow noted his wrist continues to heal.

“We’re getting there,” he said. “I think I’m learning new things every single day and refining my motion, refining everything about what I’m doing out there. That’s exciting for me to feel that improvement.”

When asked how he would handle the layoff between the end of mandatory minicamp last month and training camp, which opens on July 23, Burrow added, “I’m feeling good right now. I’ll just take it as my body’s telling me. If I need a couple days off, I’m gonna take a couple days off. But I’m feeling good, and we’ll keep grinding and take it day by day.”

As the Hendrickson dilemma dominates Bengals-related headlines and invites increased scrutiny of the team’s negotiation practices, Cincinnati at least knows it has an enviable quarterback situation, one that theoretically could get even better as Burrow’s wrist gets better.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

July 5th, 2025 at 10:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL’s 2025 HC carousel brought five new sideline leaders; this year’s GM market eventually featured four new hires. Two teams made quick-trigger decisions involving front office bosses this offseason.

Not long after the Raiders fired Antonio Pierce, they booted Tom Telesco — brought in to give the inexperienced HC a seasoned GM — after just one season. New minority owner Tom Brady, who certainly appears to have downplayed his Raiders role in a recent interview, wanted a fresh start. That meant firing Telesco despite the GM’s Brock Bowers draft choice last year. John Spytek, an ex-Brady Michigan teammate who was with the Buccaneers when the team signed the QB icon, replaced him. Formerly the Chargers’ front office boss, Telesco had entered every season in a GM chair since 2013.

Ran Carthon received two years in charge in Tennessee, but owner Amy Adams Strunk — a year after the surprise Mike Vrabel firing — moved on and arranged an interesting power structure this offseason. The Titans installed Chad Brinker, who had been one of Carthon’s two assistant GMs, as president of football operations. The ex-Carthon lieutenant holds final say over new hire Mike Borgonzi, who did run the Titans’ draft this year. Borgonzi, who interviewed for the Jets’ GM job as well, comes over after a lengthy Chiefs tenure.

The in-season Joe Douglas firing brought a Jets GM change for the first time in six years. As Woody Johnson overreach became a regular talking point in New York, the Jets started over with Darren Mougey. Johnson changed up his workflow upon hiring Mougey, however. Rather than the GM directly reporting to the owner (as Douglas had), both Mougey and Aaron Glenn will do so. Mougey, though, does control the roster.

Telesco’s January firing left Trent Baalke as the NFL’s lone second-chance GM. The Jaguars had kept Baalke despite firing Doug Pederson, but as the team’s coaching search brought significant concerns from candidates about the presence of the resilient GM, Shad Khan eventually made a change. This move came after top HC candidate Liam Coen initially turned down a second interview, doing so after Ben Johnson concerns about the situation circulated. Gladstone is now in place as the NFL’s youngest GM, at 34, coming over from the Rams.

This offseason also brought three GM extensions — for Jason Licht, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Omar Khan. Licht is heading into his 12th season at the helm. Adofo-Mensah joined Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell in being extended this offseason. Also a 2022 GM hire/promotion, Khan signed a Steelers extension this week.

Although Jerry Jones and Mike Brown have been in place longer, the Cowboys and Bengals’ owners hold de facto GM titles. Mickey Loomis is not only the longest-tenured pure GM in the NFL; the Saints boss trails only Hall of Famer Tex Schramm as the longest-tenured pure GM in NFL history. Hired four years before Sean Payton in New Orleans, Loomis heads into his 24th season at the controls. Loomis hired his third HC as a GM (Kellen Moore) in February.

Here is how long every GM has been in place across the NFL:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  4. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
  5. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010[3]; signed extension in 2022
  6. Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
  7. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2025
  8. Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
  9. John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  10. Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
  11. Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  12. Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2024
  13. Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
  14. Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
  15. Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020; signed extension in 2024
  16. Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
  17. George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
  18. Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021; agreed to extension in 2024
  19. Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
  20. Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
  21. Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
  22. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022; signed extension in 2025
  23. Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022; signed extension in 2025
  24. Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
  25. Adam Peters (Washington Commanders): January 12, 2024
  26. Dan Morgan (Carolina Panthers): January 22, 2024
  27. Joe Hortiz (Los Angeles Chargers): January 29, 2024
  28. Eliot Wolf (New England Patriots): May 11, 2024
  29. Mike Borgonzi (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2025
  30. John Spytek (Las Vegas Raiders): January 22, 2025
  31. Darren Mougey (New York Jets): January 24, 2025
  32. James Gladstone (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 21, 2025

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. The Eagles bumped Roseman from the top decision-making post in 2015, giving Chip Kelly personnel power. Roseman was reinstated upon Kelly’s December 2015 firing.
  4. Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018

2025 Offseason In Review Series

July 4th, 2025 at 9:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are PFR’s breakdowns of each NFL team’s 2025 offseason. The list will be updated between now and Week 1.

AFC East

  • Buffalo Bills
  • Miami Dolphins
  • New England Patriots
  • New York Jets

AFC North

  • Baltimore Ravens
  • Cincinnati Bengals
  • Cleveland Browns
  • Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

  • Chicago Bears
  • Detroit Lions
  • Green Bay Packers
  • Minnesota Vikings

NFC South

NFC West

  • Arizona Cardinals
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • San Francisco 49ers
  • Seattle Seahawks

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

July 3rd, 2025 at 10:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

By the end of the 2024 regular season, the Bears, Jets and Saints had already moved on from their head coaches. Those teams were joined by Cowboys, Jaguars, Raiders and Patriots in making a change on the sidelines.

After their midseason terminations, Matt Eberflus, Robert Saleh and Dennis Allen each landed defensive coordinator gigs during the 2025 hiring cycle. The staffers who remained in place through the end of the campaign have yet to line up their next NFL opportunity, however. Mike McCarthy withdrew from the Saints’ search, setting the 61-year-old for at least one year out of coaching (just like the pause between his Packers and Cowboys stints).

Meanwhile, Doug Pederson was unable to parlay interest in an offensive coordinator position into a hire this spring. The former Super Bowl winner is thus set to be out of coaching for 2025. The same will also be true of Antonio Pierce and Jerod Mayo after their one-and-done stints as full-time head coaches did not go as planned.

While recent months have brought about the latest round of changes, many of the longest-tenured head coaches around the league remain in place. McCarthy was the only staffer within the top 10 on last year’s list in that regard who has been replaced. In all, nine head coaches hired at the beginning of this decade (or earlier) will carry on with their respective teams in 2025.

Six of those reside in the AFC, with Mike Tomlin – who became the league’s longest-tenured head coach last year in the wake of Bill Belichick’s Patriots departure – once again leading the way, albeit with questions about his future beyond this season present. The NFC will include Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur handling their familiar roles in 2025, although the latter (who has two years left on his deal) will not receive an early extension.

Here is a look at how the league’s head coaches shape up entering the 2025 campaign:

  1. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2027
  2. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2028
  3. Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2029
  4. Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
  5. Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2027
  6. Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2027
  7. Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: extended through 2026
  8. Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
  9. Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020; signed extension in June 2024
  10. Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021; extended through 2027
  11. Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021; signed offseason extension
  12. Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
  13. Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022; signed offseason extension
  14. Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022; extended through 2028
  15. Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022; extended through 2028
  16. Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
  17. DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
  18. Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
  19. Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023
  20. Brian Callahan (Tennessee Titans): January 22, 2024
  21. Jim Harbaugh (Los Angeles Chargers): January 24, 2024
  22. Dave Canales (Carolina Panthers): January 25, 2024
  23. Raheem Morris (Atlanta Falcons): January 25, 2024
  24. Mike Macdonald (Seattle Seahawks): January 31, 2024
  25. Dan Quinn (Washington Commanders): February 1, 2024
  26. Mike Vrabel (New England Patriots): January 12, 2025
  27. Ben Johnson (Chicago Bears): January 20, 2025
  28. Aaron Glenn (New York Jets): January 22, 2025
  29. Liam Coen (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 23, 2025
  30. Pete Carroll (Las Vegas Raiders): January 24, 2025
  31. Brian Schottenheimer (Dallas Cowboys): January 24, 2025
  32. Kellen Moore (New Orleans Saints): February 11, 2025

Details Of Bengals’ Rookie Waiver Dispute With Shemar Stewart Revealed

July 2nd, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bengals’ standoff with first-round pick Shemar Stewart kept him on the sidelines through mandatory minicamp amid a dispute over both his offseason participation agreement and his rookie contract.

Offseason participation agreements (or waivers) ensure that players are protected if they get injured during the team’s offseason program, including rookie minicamp, OTAs, and mandatory minicamp. Should an injury occur, the agreement guarantees that rookie contract negotiations continue in good faith so players can still receive the same deal as if they were not injured. That goal is explicitly stated in at least one other team’s agreement, but not the Bengals’, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio

Florio revealed two other major differences that could be disadvantageous to Stewart. First, the Bengals’ rookie waiver takes effect if the player “sustains a disabling NFL football-related injury.” Another team omits “disabling” to ensure that all injuries suffered by a player while participating in the offseason program are covered by the agreement.

Second, the other team includes a commitment that the player’s rookie contract “shall be commensurate” with their draft slot. Cincinnati does not include such a commitment. While rookie contract values are predetermined by draft slot, players can still negotiate for better guarantee or payment structures, which has been a key issue with Stewart’s deal.

In short, the Bengals’ offseason participation agreement “did not provide the same level of protection as other teams give their rookies,” according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He said on the Rich Eisen Show that Bengals second-round pick Demetrius Knight initially refused to sign his waiver because of the same issue, though it was resolved by the second day of rookie minicamp. Importantly, the Bengals used the same language for 2024 first-round pick Amarius Mims last year, per Florio.

With Cincinnati’s offseason program complete, the rookie waiver itself no longer matters as it does not apply to training camp. Stewart will have to come to an agreement on his full contract to participate. However, the different language is still important. The Bengals wanted Stewart to sign the same waiver as Mims – with language that diverges from other teams – while asking him to accept language in his rookie deal that differs from Mims’ but matches other teams. Essentially, the Bengals were asking Stewart to accept worse terms relative to the rest of the league in his offseason participation agreement and worse terms relative to Cincinnati’s other first-round picks in his first rookie deal.

However, NFL contract negotiations are largely driven by existing team precedent. If the Bengals wanted to change their precedent in Stewart’s rookie deal to match other teams, they could have offered him better terms in his participation agreement that would do the same. That potential fix is now off the table, and Stewart has not budged from his position.

With those details now revealed, it is hardly surprising that Stewart would hold firm, especially given the franchise’s history of difficult, protracted negotiations with top players. If he were to give in to the Bengals’ desires, he would set a worse precedent for himself and both present and future teammates. Stewart’s stance also sends a clear message to Cincinnati’s front office that he will not be pushed around in future negotiations, either.

Pelissero believes that Stewart and the team will ultimately come to an agreement at or around the start of training camp, but it remains unclear what middle ground both sides would be willing to accept.

Largest 2025 Cap Hits: Offense

July 1st, 2025 at 10:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

Last offseason brought about a record-breaking jump in the salary cap. This year, the ceiling rose to $279.2MM, another notable spike. The market at a number of positions will benefit from the ongoing surge in spending power available to teams, with quarterbacks obviously the largest standout in that respect.

In 2024, a pair of signal-callers surpassed the $50MM mark in terms of cap charges for the season. That will not be the case this time around, but to little surprise quarterbacks once again lead the way in terms of representing the largest share of many teams’ financial commitments for 2025. Positions such as receiver and offensive tackle have also generally not reached the same peak in terms of cap commitments as last year.

Leading up to training camp, are the NFL’s top 25 cap charges for offensive players:

  1. Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $50.52MM
  2. Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): $47.47MM
  3. Joe Burrow, QB (Bengals): $46MM
  4. Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $43.5MM
  5. Kyler Murray, QB (Cardinals): $43.33MM
  6. Kirk Cousins, QB (Falcons): $40MM
  7. Geno Smith, QB (Raiders): $40MM
  8. Tua Tagovailoa, QB (Dolphins): $39.18MM
  9. Justin Herbert, QB (Chargers): $37.35MM
  10. Josh Allen, QB (Bills): $36.34MM
  11. Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): $35.97MM
  12. Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $32.6MM
  13. Taylor Moton, RT (Panthers): $31.35MM
  14. Jordan Love, QB (Packers): $29.69MM
  15. Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $28.06MM
  16. Calvin Ridley, WR (Titans): $28MM
  17. Tyreek Hill, WR (Dolphins): $27.7MM
  18. Jawaan Taylor, RT (Chiefs): $27.39MM
  19. Baker Mayfield, QB (Buccaneers): $26.48MM
  20. Terry McLaurin, WR (Commanders): $25.5MM
  21. Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $25.36MM
  22. D.J. Moore, WR (Bears): $24.9MM
  23. Tee Higgins, WR (Bengals): $24.06MM
  24. Ja’Marr Chase, WR (Bengals): $23.57MM
  25. Trey Smith, RG (Chiefs): $23.4MM

Prescott’s last-minute 2024 Cowboys extension made him the first player in NFL history to carry an AAV of $60MM. That pact will have lasting impacts well beyond the coming campaign, as the team looks to also fit in the big-ticket extension CeeDee Lamb inked last summer and the one Micah Parsons is in position to sign at some point before Week 1.

Once again, Stafford and the Rams entered the spring with plenty of uncertainty. Retirement was a consideration quickly done away with in the case of the 37-year-old, but it remained to be seen if he would remain in Los Angeles. Trade offers came in from numerous suitors, and the chance existed for Stafford to land a more lucrative deal elsewhere. In the end, though, team and player reached agreement on another reworked pact. Stafford is now in line to receive $84MM over the next two years, including guaranteed money in 2026. A bit of continuity will thus be in place under center for the Rams.

2020 draft classmates Burrow, Tagovailoa and Herbert are understandable top-10 players on this list given their respective deals. All three are on the books for years to come as they look to unseat the Chiefs atop the AFC. Burrow spoke about restructuring his pact to create the cap space necessary for the Bengals to retain or extend each of their key in-house players this offseason. That has yet to take place, and it will be interesting to see if a reworking is explored while talks on the Trey Hendrickson front continue.

The Ravens have worked out a few extensions on offense already (Derrick Henry, Rashod Bateman) but Jackson looms as a candidate for a new deal. Three years remain on his pact, but starting in 2026 his cap charge is scheduled so spike well past its current figure. The two-time MVP has discussed a new arrangement this offseason, and a bump in guarantees and overall compensation similar to what the Bills did with Allen would come as no surprise.

Cousins’ figure stands out, of course, given the fact he is slated to operate as Atlanta’s backup this season. With no release coming and no trade imminent, the four-time Pro Bowler is set to stay in place behind Michael Penix Jr. Cousins has made progress in his rehab from shoulder and ankle injuries suffered prior to his benching midway through his debut Atlanta season. With $10MM already guaranteed for next year, it will be interesting to see if a trade market develops in the coming months in his case.

With the exception of Watson – whose second Achilles tear is set to sideline him for most or all of the coming campaign – the remaining quarterbacks on the list are positioned to serve as starters for their respective teams. Only Geno Smith will be suiting up for a new organization after he was traded from the Seahawks to the Raiders. That swap was followed up by a two-year, $75MM extension and allowed him to reunite with head coach Pete Carroll. A short-term upgrade under center will be key as Vegas looks to find stability on the sidelines and in the front office.

Moton’s cap figure was a talking point earlier this offseason, but the Panthers are content to avoid a fourth restructure in his case. The pending free agent hopes to finish his career in Carolina, but an extension would have helped ensure that while lowering his immediate cap charge. In the absence of such an agreement, it will be interesting to see if Moton, 30, can deliver another strong showing in 2025.

Ridley is perhaps a surprising figure to lead the way in terms of cap charges at the receiver spot. He will operate as a key member of the Titans’ offense, a unit whose success will of course depend in large part on the play of rookie Cam Ward. Ridley has two more years left on his deal beyond 2025, but with limited guarantees owed over that span his Tennessee future could be greatly impacted by who this season plays out.

The likes of Hill, Evans and Moore are not currently the subject of speculation regarding their future. McLaurin, however, was absent from much of the Commanders’ spring practices with little progress being made at the negotiating table. Plenty of work is still required at this point to avoid a potential free agent departure next spring. Coming off a career-high in touchdowns while thriving alongside Jayden Daniels, the two-time Pro Bowler is in line for a raise which will likely lower his cap hit this season.

Chase and Higgins inked their deals simultaneously, putting an end to questions regarding where the latter in particular would play on his second contract. Those two, together with Burrow, will serve as foundational players for years to come in Cincinnati. It will be interesting to see how long Chase (with an AAV of $40.25MM) remains the league’s top earner in that respect for non-quarterbacks.

Kansas City’s offensive line faces questions entering the season. Despite his big-ticket contract, Taylor is not a lock to remain a starter at this point. With no guaranteed left on the final year of his deal (2026), a parting of ways could be in store next spring if a backup gig ensues. Trey Smith, meanwhile, remains attached to the franchise tag although an extension is among the team’s remaining offseason priorities.

Bengals Not Expected To Add More Guard Depth

July 1st, 2025 at 9:14pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bengals have added depth to both guard positions this offseason, opening the door for position battles on both sides of the offensive line. While a handful of notable veteran guards remain unsigned, it sounds like Cincy is currently content rolling with their current options at the position. As Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic writes, it’s unlikely the Bengals make any additions as they evaluate their options at the guard position.

On the flip side, Dehner opines that the front office should at least be considering adding another body to the fray, even if that acquisition would face an uphill battle for a starting spot. The writer points to a handful of veterans who remain unsigned, including Brandon Scherff, Dalton Risner, and Will Hernandez.

On the right side of the line, Cody Ford and Lucas Patrick were clearly battling it out for reps during OTAs. Ford is the holdover, and the veteran actually garnered nine starts for the Bengals in 2024 (his highest total since his rookie season with the Bills in 2019). Pro Football Focus has never been particularly fond of Ford’s performance, and while the Bengals signed the veteran to a two-year extension this offseason, they’re clearly setting the stage for a position battle.

That’s because the team brought in Patrick on a one-year deal. Patrick has continued to start during his post-Packers career, including stops with the Bears and Saints. PFF graded him 37th among 77 qualifying guards in 2024, when he started 10 of his 11 appearances for New Orleans. His season ended early thanks to a knee injury.

Cordell Volson has been the team’s starting left guard for the past three years, as the 2022 fourth-round pick has started 48 of his 50 appearances since joining the organization. Unfortunately, he hasn’t truly impressed, and following a 2024 campaign where he allowed 43 pressures in 984 offensive snaps, the team is considering some alternatives.

That competition would come via Dylan Fairchild, who the Bengals just selected in the third round of this year’s draft. The Georgia product brings a winning pedigree to Cincinnati, and at six-foot-five and 318 pounds, he brings the necessary size to the position. The Bengals clearly haven’t been afraid of starting late-round lineman in the past, and Fairchild could end up replacing a former example at left guard.

Both guard positions will be competitions to watch heading into training camp. If the Bengals don’t like what they see, then perhaps they reconsider pursuing a free agent option.

Other Edge Rush Deals Could Alter Price On Trey Hendrickson Bengals Extension

June 29th, 2025 at 10:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

While Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals have resumed extension talks, the parties still do not appear to close to an agreement. With other monster edge rush deals looming, a waiting game could ensue which has an impact on the 2024 NFL sack leader.

[RELATED: Bengals Prefer One-Year Hendrickson Extension]

Micah Parsons has yet to sign a Cowboys extension, one which could move him to the top of the pecking order amongst edge rushers (and, quite possibly, all non-quarterbacks). At the age of 26, Parsons is preparing to land his second career contract. That factor makes his situation somewhat different than that of Hendrickson or Steelers All-Pro T.J. Watt.

The latter is entering his age-31 season, something which is also the case for Hendrickson. Both could be looking at similar deals with their respective teams as a result. With training camp approaching, though, considerable work on both fronts is still needed to hammer out an agreement. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted during a recent Rich Eisen Show appearance (video link) that Hendrickson could aim to wait for Watt’s deal in particular (and perhaps Parsons’ as well) before signing his own with the Bengals.

Unlike last offseason, Cincinnati gave Hendrickson permission to seek a trade. Offers came in, but the team’s asking price of a first-round pick (or a package of similar value) was not met. No trade is currently expected, although it remains to be seen if the four-time Pro Bowler will report to training camp in the absence of an extension. Hendrickson skipped mandatory minicamp, drawing fines in the process. The same would be true if he were to engage in a training camp holdout.

Pelissero confirms Hendrickson is not seeking to match the value of Myles Garrett‘s Browns extension (which checks in at a market-topping $40MM per season on average). The Bengals’ best known offer to date has not reached the $35MM-per-year mark, a value which would place him in the next financial tier for veteran pass rushers. Watt could also be in line for a Steelers pact worth roughly that amount if/when he and the team can reach agreement on a third pact.

In each of these cases, there is still time to avoid potential absences or missed practice reps during training camp. With the EDGE market positioned to move once more late in the offseason, though, it will certainly be interesting to see how one deal affects the others. Given Hendrickson’s impact on a Bengals defense which struggled even with him in place last season, he could especially look to leverage the Watt situation for a multi-year commitment.

Bengals Reach Stadium Lease Agreement

June 26th, 2025 at 10:52am CST by Adam La Rose

11:38am: A 2-0 vote (with one abstention) has taken place to approve the framework of the new lease agreement, ESPN’s Ben Baby notes. As a result, the Bengals are indeed on track to remain in in place through at least 2036.

10:52am: As expected, the Bengals are set to remain in Cincinnati well beyond 2025. A new lease agreement has been reached between the team and Hamilton County, as first reported by Jason Williams of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Final approval will not be voted on today, per an announcement from administrator Jeff Aluotto. Nonetheless, unanimous approval from the county’s commissioners is expected. If/when the new lease is in place, speculation about a potential relocation – which picked up in April amidst a lack of progress in negotiations between the parties – will come to an end. June 30 loomed as the deadline for a deal to be struck, and while nothing is official yet it is clear major progress toward a long-term arrangement has been made.

Providing details on the new proposal, Williams’ colleagues Erin Glynn and Quinlan Bentley note the lease in question will be 10 years in length (the existing one runs through 2025). The option also exists for as many as five two-year extensions to be exercised, meaning the Bengals will remain at Paycor Stadium well into the 2030s provided final approval is received. While $830MM in stadium renovations were initially planned, that figure now sits at $470MM.

To no surprise, the split between private and public funding was a point of contention during negotiations. Per the Enquirer report, $350MM in stadium funds will come from the county with the remaining $120MM being contributed by the Bengals. That 75-25 split comes after the previous agreement saw Hamilton County take on an 88% share of costs to the stadium project.

“It’s not perfect, but as often is the case in in tough negotiations, no one leaves the table thinking they got the perfect deal,” Aluotto said when speaking about the proposal agreement (h/t Sports Illustrated’s Jay Morrison). “And I think as you’ll hear, it’s a better deal, a smarter deal than what was done under the previous lease. I’m hoping the team would concur with that.”

The two-year extensions are again the Bengals’ prerogative, Morrison notes. Interestingly, though, he adds the first one will become mandatory if the team reaches the top 24 in terms of revenue amongst the NFL’s 32 clubs. In any event, the team’s future for at least the next 11 years will be assured once the proposed deal receives final approval.

Bengals Could Leave Cincinnati?

June 25th, 2025 at 10:02pm CST by Ely Allen

Despite being around since 1968, the Bengals are the seventh-youngest franchise in the NFL. Since their inception, though, the league has seen the Raiders, Colts, Cardinals, Rams, Oilers, and Chargers all change their locations; the Rams moved twice and the Raiders moved three times over that span. Now, there’s a chance the Bengals could dissociate from the city of Cincinnati, though that chance may be fairly small.

Yesterday, The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. detailed the situation between the Bengals and Hamilton County. The two parties are currently negotiating the lease for Paycor Stadium, where the team has played since the 2000 season. This story has risen to the forefront of recent news due to an important upcoming decision deadline for the Bengals.

By June 30, the Bengals will have to agree to a lease offer from the County or exercise an option that extends the current lease for two years.

The current lease doesn’t expire until June 30 of next year, so the team is, of course, guaranteed to have a home for the 2025 NFL season, but the team is seeking to make changes to the stadium that would require an updated lease agreement. The Bengals are hoping to make upgrades to their home of the past 25 years, and renovations don’t run cheap these days. Recent years have seen two comparable renovations to downtown stadiums that didn’t require new construction: an $800MM renovation that tied the Panthers to Charlotte for 20 years, and a $489MM renovation that tied the Ravens to Baltimore through 2037.

In these deals, a good portion of the funding is provided by the states or local governments — the Charlotte City Council contributed $650MM, while the Ravens only contributed $55MM to the project, $35MM of which was made reimbursable by the Maryland Stadium Authority. The Bengals are teaming with the NFL to contribute $120MM through a G-5 loan — a loan that allows the Bengals to borrow NFL funds as long as the team matches the loan with their own funds. They want to contribute the money to a project that will allow them to renovate their two club lounges, their concessions, and all 132 of their suites.

Dehner posits that if the Bengals can’t agree to a deal with the County, the G-5 loan could be end up going to waste, and if things unfold in this fashion, the Bengals may decide to explore the concept of moving cities. Executive vice president Katie Blackburn, daughter of team president Mike Brown, didn’t rule out that option when discussing the matter in April, though she emphasized that the franchise would prefer to stay in Cincinnati with the ability to make the abovementioned renovations.

If a new lease agreement isn’t signed by next Tuesday, the team will exercise the two-year extension options that work on a rolling basis, extending the current lease, one the team is unhappy with, for two years over and over again until a new deal is signed or the agreement is terminated.

In order to terminate the lease to move to another location, though, the Bengals have to let the County know by December 31 of the second year of the extension (six months before each extension’s expiration date) that they intend to look elsewhere. During that six-month period, the Bengals must give the County, any individual in the County, or any group of individuals in the County the opportunity to purchase the team, as Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer discloses.

However unlikely it may be for the team to change cities (or ownerships), Brown’s father, former Browns and Bengals head coach, owner, and co-founder Paul Brown, located the franchise in Cincinnati because of its centrality to large neighboring cities like Louisville and Lexington in Kentucky and Columbus, Dayton, and Springfield in Ohio. The “Louisville Bengals” or “Columbus Bengals” may sound strange to the ear, but their close vicinity to the team’s current location (combined with existing bases of dedicated collegiate fans) could bode well for their chances of landing a disgruntled NFL franchise.

The County exchanged two offers with the Bengals in April, but both showed wide gaps between the two parties’ desires in terms of contribution percentage, length, and type. In the months since, the two sides have worked to bridge that gap, establishing a memorandum of understanding that tentatively puts some terms in place for the renovation project.

The last day that the commissioners of Hamilton County are meeting before the June 30 deadline is tomorrow morning. In Thursday’s session, the commissioners could initiate a vote on one more potential agreement to offer to the Bengals. From there, the Bengals will make the decision to sign the new lease offer or move forward with the first of potentially several two-year extensions. If it gets to that point, there will be a close watch on just whom the Bengals’ top brass is communicating with in the next two years.

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