Bengals Nearing Extension Agreement With CB DJ Turner?
DJ Turner is, like fellow Bengals cornerback Dax Hill, in line for an extension. He and the team are in discussions on a new deal, and it appears progress has recently been made.
An Instagram post made by Turner’s agent featuring the caption “CB1 calculated” was recently made. Turner himself has also shared the post. It is of course easy to read too much into social media developments when it comes to contract talks, but this latest development certainly implies an agreement on the value of a long-term deal has been reached.
[RELATED: Duke Tobin, Zac Taylor Receive Vote Of Confidence]
Turner has emerged as a foundational figure on defense for Cincinnati while playing out his rookie contract. The 25-year-old is on the books through 2026, but the Bengals would have a significant vacancy to fill in the event he departed in free agency next spring. Using the franchise tag would only give the team a short-term solution, so it comes as no surprise interest has been shown in a long-term pact this offseason.
Operating as a full-time starter in 2025, Turner enjoyed the most productive season of his career. The Michigan product racked up two interceptions, 18 pass deflections and a pair of forced fumbles. He also enjoyed the strongest campaign of his NFL tenure to date in terms of coverage statistics. A notable raise compared to Turner’s $3.67MM in base salary will be in store in the event an extension is finalized in time for Week 1.
The Bengals have been abnormally aggressive in pursuing needed additions on defense this offseason. Making big-money commitments to homegrown players has also become more commonplace in recent years, with Joe Burrow and many other members of the team’s offensive core receiving long-term deals. Doing the same with Turner would further illustrate the urgency shown so far in 2026 by Cincinnati in aiming to avoid another year out of the postseason.
Of course, the Bengals need to keep in mind the cost of a second Hill contract. As things stand, however, it seems as though Turner could be the first in line to sign an extension. With plenty of time remaining before training camp, further – and more tangible – updates on this front will be worth watching for.
Cowboys CB/ST C.J. Goodwin Retiring
It’s not easy to have a 12-year career in the NFL. It’s even more difficult to have a 12-year career when you’re not a perennial Pro Bowl contender. Regardless, Cowboys veteran cornerback and special teams ace C.J. Goodwin has done just that, and yesterday, he decided to hang up his cleats and retire, according to a report from WTOV9 news.
Growing up in West Virginia, Goodwin was an athlete, competing in track and basketball, but he didn’t play football until his senior year at The Linsly School. He went to college initially for basketball, playing two seasons at Bethany College before transferring to Fairmont State. He walked on to the Fighting Falcons’ football team, earning a scholarship after one season as a wide receiver. When then-head coach Mike Lopez was fired and accepted a defensive coordinator position at California University of Pennsylvania, Goodwin followed to continue playing under Lopez, but he ended up playing mostly on special teams.
As a result, Goodwin went undrafted in 2014 as a Division II transfer special teamer. Goodwin had gone to high school with the son of Steelers Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount and worked as a farmhand for Blount for seven years while growing up, so Goodwin called Blount and asked if he might convince Pittsburgh to give him an opportunity. He ended up signing as an undrafted free agent with the Steelers following a workout, and he spent his rookie year on the team’s practice squad. Pittsburgh signed him to a reserve/futures deal but waived him in final roster cuts the following year.
Over two months later, Goodwin signed to the Falcons’ practice squad to finish the 2015 season. In training camp the next summer, Atlanta converted him to cornerback. In 2016, he made his NFL debut playing 14 games and even earning his first and only start as the Falcons played their way to the Super Bowl. Though they were defeated, the former D-II walk-on notched three tackles on the biggest stage of the sport.
The next season, Goodwin was waived after 12 more games with the Falcons. The Cardinals claimed him and played him in the last two games of the year before cutting him in the offseason. Goodwin spent two shorts stints with the Giants and 49ers that offseason before landing in Cincinnati to finish out the summer. The Bengals waived him in final roster cuts but re-signed him to their practice squad the next day.
Later into the year, the Cowboys signed Goodwin off Cincinnati’s taxi squad, but Goodwin broke his forearm shortly after, landing on injured reserve for eight games before returning for the regular season finale and the playoffs. Returning healthy with the team in 2019, Goodwin played in all 16 games for the first time in his career. Aside from a season-ending pectoral injury costing him 12 games in 2023, Goodwin would go on to have perfect attendance for the rest of his career.
In the end, as a core special teamer, Goodwin’s stats don’t jump off the page. He finished his career with 94 total tackles, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. More importantly, he finished with 12 years of NFL experience as a small school transfer and an undrafted free agent.
The NFL’s Assistant General Managers
When the Vikings hired Nolan Teasley late last month, the general manager carousel came to a stop once again. Minnesota has since filled out its assistant GM tier, joining Seattle — which lost Teasley from its AGM post — in doing so this month. The Vikings’ GM search — which consisted of interim GM Rob Brzezinski and assistant GMs from other teams — reminded that the AGM post serves as the top launching pad to the GM ranks.
While front office bosses are fairly well-known presences — particularly to the PFR audience — the assistant GM level consists of less recognizable figures. But these staffers sit as top front office lieutenants, many of whom have interviewed for GM jobs already. Others will do so in the future. Here are the teams that have assigned the assistant general manager title to one or more staffers:
Arizona Cardinals
- Dave Sears (hired in 2023)
Atlanta Falcons
- Jeff Scott (hired in 2026)
Buffalo Bills
- Terrance Gray (hired in 2017, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Chicago Bears
- Jeff King (hired in 2016, promoted to AGM in 2026)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Trey Brown (hired in 2018, promoted to AGM in 2025)
- Mike Potts (hired in 2016, promoted to AGM in 2025)
- Steven Radicevic (hired in 2012, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Cleveland Browns
- Glenn Cook (hired in 2016, promoted to AGM in 2022)
- Catherine Hickman (hired in 2022)
Denver Broncos
- Reed Burckhardt (hired in 2022, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Detroit Lions
- Ray Agnew (hired in 2021)
Houston Texans
- Chris Blanco (rehired in 2023, promoted to AGM in 2025)
- James Liipfert (hired in 2018, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Indianapolis Colts
- Ed Dodds (hired in 2017, promoted to AGM in 2018)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Mike Bradway (hired in 2018, promoted to AGM in 2025)
- Chris Shea (hired in 2017, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Brian Stark (hired in 2025)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Chad Alexander (hired in 2024)
Los Angeles Rams
- John McKay (hired in 2016, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Miami Dolphins
- Kyle Smith (hired in 2026)
Minnesota Vikings
- Andrew Healy (hired in 2026)
- Trent Kirchner (hired in 2026)
New Orleans Saints
- Khai Harley (hired in 2008, promoted to AGM in 2023)
- Jeff Ireland (hired in 2015)
New York Giants
- Brandon Brown (hired in 2022)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Adam Berry (hired in 2023, promoted to AGM in 2026)
- Jon Ferrari (hired in 2016, promoted to AGM in 2022)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Andy Weidl (hired in 2022)
San Francisco 49ers
- R.J. Gillen (hired in 2015, promoted to AGM in 2025)
- Brian Hampton (hired in 2003, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Seattle Seahawks
- Matt Berry (hired in 2008, promoted to AGM in 2026)
- Willie Schneider (hired in 2017, promoted to AGM in 2026)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Mike Greenberg (hired in 2010, promoted to AGM in 2023)
- Rob McCartney (hired in 2011, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Tennessee Titans
- Dave Ziegler (hired in 2025)
Washington Commanders
- Lance Newmark (hired in 2024)
The Cowboys, Jaguars, Jets, Packers, Panthers, Patriots and Ravens do not have a staffer in this position. Some front offices opt against handing out the title. The Patriots and Cowboys have refrained from doing so for many years. Jerry Jones has served as the team’s GM since his 1989 purchase; he does not plan to step down from his front office perch anytime soon. Son Stephen Jones operates as the team’s COO. VP of player personnel Will McClay has drawn outside GM interest in the past, but the longtime Dallas staffer has preferred to stay put.
Carolina promoted Dan Morgan from assistant GM to the top front office post in 2024. Former Chiefs exec Brandt Tilis serves as the Panthers’ de facto AGM, residing as the team’s executive VP of football operations. Tilis interviewed for the Falcons’ top front office post — which went to Matt Ryan — this offseason. Now that the Dolphins hired former Packers VP of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM, cap specialist Russ Ball is probably Green Bay’s most prominent exec working under longtime GM Brian Gutekunst.
The Patriots hired former Titans interim GM Ryan Cowden to work with Mike Vrabel; the longtime Tennessee staffer is New England’s VP of player personnel. Eliot Wolf does not officially hold a GM title (residing as executive VP of player personnel instead) — is in Year 3 running the Pats’ front office.
Second-year GMs James Gladstone and Darren Mougey have not handed out the AGM title, either. Hall of Fame left tackle Tony Boselli sits in a key Jacksonville role, as executive VP of football ops, while former Broncos GM Brian Xanders is a senior advisor to the GM. Former Vikings GM Rick Spielman helped the Jets land on Mougey as GM, and the veteran NFL staffer remains on New York’s staff (as a senior football advisor).
While a host of staffers on the assistant GM level have been part of recent GM carousels, only two current AGMs — Ireland and Ziegler — previously led a front office. Illustrating the fluidity of AGM roles, only Dodds and Ireland have been in their current positions prior to the 2020s.
Bengals Exec. VP Katie Blackburn Voices Confidence In GM Duke Tobin, HC Zac Taylor
The Browns, Ravens, and Steelers all made sweeping organization changes this offseason, but unlike their AFC North rivals, the Bengals are staying the course with de facto general manager Duke Tobin and head coach Zac Taylor.
Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn, the team’s No. 2 executive after president and principal owner Mike Brown, backed her team’s leadership in an interview on Monday. (Blackburn is Brown’s daughter. Her husband, Troy, serves as vice president and their daughters, Caroline and Elizabeth, were promoted to the same titles this offseason, per ESPN’s Ben Baby.)
“We feel good about them for a lot of reasons,” Blackburn said (via ESPN’s Ben Baby). “There’s also that element of consistency that hopefully will prove out to be beneficial, too.”
Tobin and Taylor led the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance in 2021 and followed it up with a 12-4 season and another AFC championship game appearance the following year. In the three years since, though, Cincinnati has gone 24-27 with no playoff appearances. Injuries to star quarterback Joe Burrow, who appeared in just 18 games between the 2023 and 2025 season, have certainly played a role, but so has a defense that consistently ranked among the league’s bottom 10 units.
Blackburn also expressed confidence in the team’s roster, which she described as “a strong base to work around.” Elizabeth Blackburn specifically mentioned the acquisition of Dexter Lawrence from the Giants, who she described as a “pretty special player who can do a lot for your defense.”
“They are rarely available,” she added. “Those are the types of moves you figure out a way.”
Burrow himself voiced excitement about the Bengals’ offseason moves, saying (via Baby) the team is has built best roster of his career. He also singled out the Lawrence trade, noting that potential rookies available with the No. 10 pick Cincinnati sent to New York would not have the same impact in 2026.
There have been rumors in the past about Burrow’s dissatisfaction in Cincinnati, but the move for Lawrence is a sign of commitment from the front office to capitalizing on their current window of contention. If the Bengals can field even a middling defense, their high-octane offense can likely power them to a playoff spot, and maybe beyond.
Bengals CB DJ Turner Hopeful For Extension Before Week 1
JUNE 15: When speaking to reporters on Monday, Bengals EVP Katie Blackburn said (via The Athletic’s Paul Dehner) the matter of Turner and Hill both being up for extensions is “something that we’ll have to work through” as the offseason unfolds. No timeline on a deal exists in either case, but Blackburn indicated discussions with both corners will continue through the summer.
JUNE 7: 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.
Bengals TE Erick All Fully Healed
An ACL tear brought an abrupt end to Erick All‘s college career. A repeat of that injury suffered to the same knee resulted in an abbreviated rookie season and an absence spanning the entire 2025 campaign.
Things will be much different if all goes according to plan for the coming year, however. All has been able to participate in spring practices with the Bengals, and he has healed in full. Adding to his career total of just nine NFL games will be expected in 2026 as a result.
“I feel a lot better than I did when I first got here,” All said (via Sports Illustrated’s Jay Morrison). “Like, a lot better. Completely healthy, 2024 season to now. I feel like a completely different person.”
When speaking to the media about his health status, All revealed the reason for his lengthy rehab process. The surgery stemming from his college ACL tear was not done correctly, so a separate procedure was required after he tore the same ACL in 2024. A waiting period of three months took place before All’s second ACL repair could be performed. That left him unavailable through all of last season.
The initial ACL injury played a role in All falling to the fourth round of his draft class. The Michigan/Iowa product was nevertheless a key figure when on the field during his rookie season, logging a 42% offensive snap share. A notable role as a run blocker in particular could be in store once he returns to game action. Cincinnati ranked just 29th in the NFL on the ground in 2025, and improving in that regard could go help spark a trip to the playoffs this season.
The Bengals’ tight end depth chart will be topped by Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample and Tanner Hudson in 2026. All will spend training camp looking to carve out a rotational role and avoiding any further issues with his knee. Provided he does, he could prove to be an impactful depth contributor on Cincinnati’s offense.
Bengals Sign Cashius Howell, Complete Draft Class Signings
The Bengals have completed their draft pick signings. The team announced that they’ve inked second-round defensive end Cashius Howell to his rookie deal.
Howell put himself on the map with a strong showing at Bowling Green in 2023, and he continued that production after transferring to Texas A&M ahead of the 2024 campaign. In two seasons with the Aggies, the pass-rusher compiled 71 tackles, 15.5 sacks, and 22.5 tackles for loss. His performance in 2025 earned him a number of accolades, including an unanimous All-American nod and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award.
After trading their first-round pick in the Dexter Lawrence deal, the Bengals made Howell their first selection when they used the 41st-overall pick on him. With Trey Hendrickson no longer on the team, Cincy will be especially dependent on their rookie in 2026. Howell will join a pass-rush corps that also features Myles Murphy, free agent acquisition Boye Mafe, and 2025 first-round pick Shemar Stewart, who disappointed as a rookie.
As mentioned, this signing means the Bengals have now agreed to deals with all seven of their draft picks. The class includes:
- Round 2, No. 41: Cashius Howell (DE, Texas A&M)
- Round 3, No. 72: Tacario Davis (CB, Washington)
- Round 4, No. 128 (from Texans via Lions and Bengals): Connor Lew (C, Auburn)
- Round 4, No. 140 (from Bengals): Colbie Young (WR, Georgia)
- Round 6, No. 189: Brian Parker II (C, Duke)
- Round 7, No. 221 (from Giants via Cowboys): Jack Endries (TE, Texas)
- Round 7, No. 226: Landon Robinson (DT, Navy)
Bengals Restructure Joe Burrow’s Deal
For the first time since it was signed in 2023, Joe Burrow‘s contract is being adjusted. The Bengals have worked out a restructure with their quarterback, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter report.
Today’s move will create roughly $10MM in cap space for 2026. Cincinnati entered Tuesday near the bottom of the NFL in terms of available funds ($7.17MM). Burrow’s cap charge – which was scheduled to check in at $48MM, the second-highest in the NFL, will now be reduced, though.
Throughout what has proven to be a busy offseason on the defensive side of the ball, the Bengals preferred to avoid making any adjustments to the Burrow pact. As Paul Dehner of The Athletic notes, the team felt working through its spring priorities would be feasible without deferring some of Burrow’s cap charges into the future. Nevertheless, the Dexter Lawrence trade (and subsequent one-year extension) in particular limited Cincinnati’s financial flexibility for the short term.
Burrow signed his extension during an offseason which saw the title of league’s highest-paid quarterback change hands multiple times. After seeing Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert each move the bar with their respective second contracts, Burrow landed $55MM per year on average. The former No. 1 pick’s deal runs through 2029, and it is scheduled to carry cap charges as high as $60MM by its final year.
2026 has seen the acquisition of Lawrence but other veterans, including edge rusher Boye Mafe and defensive lineman Jonathan Allen. Spending on those newcomers led to limited cap flexibility for summer additions, but this Burrow restructure will create the room for a modest addition or two. The Bengals’ front office is of course also looking into a number of extensions, including the case of cornerback DJ Turner.
Health will no doubt continue to be a major talking point for Burrow, 29, entering the 2026 season. Expectations are high for Cincinnati given the team’s continuity on offense and and aggressive pursuit of defensive upgrades, but Burrow’s contact will remain a key presence in the short and long term with respect to its financial planning.
Bengals Interested In Retaining DE Myles Murphy Beyond 2026
The Bengals recently declined to exercise Myles Murphy‘s fifth-year option. As a result, the pass rusher is a pending 2027 free agent.
The chance of a departure on the open market will become a talking point, especially if Murphy delivers a strong showing in his fourth Cincinnati season. The Bengals have been communication with him during an offseason marked by several defensive additions. No extension is in place now, but a second Cincinnati pact could still be in store in the future.
De facto general manager Duke Tobin expressed the team’s desire to keep Murphy in place for the long term, as the Clemson product noted when speaking to the media (h/t Laurel Pfahler of the Dayton Daily News). Several big-money investments have been made on defense recently by the Bengals, a team which traded for Dexter Lawrence and added one year to his deal upon arrival. Cincinnati also brought in Boye Mafe in a bid to replace the production lost through Trey Hendrickson‘s departure.
“I knew it was a possibility,” Murphy said when reflecting on finding out his option would be declined. “Duke and everyone upstairs, they’ve been pretty transparent on ‘we spent a lot of money this offseason.’ So, it does make sense. We talk. No hard feelings. We talk about everything, so really, just doing my job right now, getting ready for the upcoming season, trying to be in the best shape I can be, the best teammate I can be.”
Murphy occupied a rotational role during his first two seasons in the league, managing only three sacks across that span. The 24-year-old saw another uptick in playing time in 2025, though. Murphy made 10 starts and posted 5.5 sacks, 17 pressures and six tackles for loss. Joseph Ossai and Cameron Sample also left in free agency, so a heavy workload should be expected for Murphy ahead of his pivotal fourth season.
Picking up Murphy’s option for 2027 would have cost $14.48MM. It came as little surprise when the Bengals opted not to make that commitment based on his production to date. Nevertheless, another step forward in 2025 would set Murphy up for a payday with Cincinnati or another team next spring.
Bengals Could Restructure QB Joe Burrow’s Contract
At this point in the calendar, NFL teams have conducted the majority of their offseason business, so creating cap space is not as pressing of a need as it was in early March. Still, a club has to leave itself some flexibility to make additions when necessary, and such flexibility is often achieved through a restructure or two.
The Bengals are presently near the bottom of the league in cap room (just over $7MM), and they could go the restructure route to create a little cushion. Quarterback Joe Burrow’s ~$48MM cap charge stands out as the most obvious target, and director of player personnel Duke Tobin suggested he may seek to rework his franchise passer’s contract.
“Those are things that we’re working through after the draft,” Tobin said at the end of last month (via Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer). “We’ve layered in challenges, but we’re up to them, and we do it because we have the opportunity to add the right people and the right player.”
The challenges Tobin referenced include the limited cap space that accompanies high-dollar expenditures. In order to address the defensive shortcomings that have held the Bengals back over the past several seasons, Tobin authorized eight-figure deals for EDGE Boye Mafe, safety Bryan Cook, and defensive lineman Jonathan Allen in March, and he also took on defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence’s hefty contract via a pre-draft trade with the Giants (Tobin extended Lawrence’s pact shortly thereafter).
Tobin says his team is “damn close” to the top of the NFL in terms of roster spending, and Burrow’s $25.25MM base salary for 2026 is a big part of that. As Brennan observes, Burrow said last year that he was amenable to reworking the five-year, $275MM deal he inked in 2023 in order to make room for wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and it stands to reason he would be similarly willing this year.
After all, the types of restructure that would be in play here have no worse than a neutral impact on the player, so they tend to be drama-free transactions. Burrow’s case is perhaps a bit different in light of some comments he made in December, comments that briefly led to retirement and trade speculation. While such rumors were promptly quashed, subsequent reports suggested Burrow was nonetheless trying to put some pressure on the Bengals by being candid about his dissatisfaction.
If that was the case, the historically-conservative franchise’s active offseason indicates Burrow achieved his goal (just as he did when Cincinnati re-signed Higgins while simultaneously greenlighting a record-setting deal for Chase). A restructure would make it more difficult for the Bengals to trade Burrow in the near future, and though a trade seems like little more than a pipe dream for interested teams – who were expected to chase that dream just the same – Burrow’s acquiescence to a reworked deal would seem to further solidify his status in Cincinnati.