2023 Offseason In Review Series
Quarterback acquisitions generated top headlines this offseason, while the slew of developments affecting the running back market moved that position’s value to a precarious point. On that note, our latest Offseason In Review series is in the books. Here are the PFR staff’s looks at how teams assembled their 2023 rosters:
AFC East
AFC North
AFC South
AFC West
NFC East
NFC North
NFC South
NFC West
Bengals, QB Joe Burrow Agree To Five-Year Extension
SEPTEMBER 9: The Bengals have made it official, with the organization announcing their extension with Burrow.
“Quarterback is the most critical position in sports, and Joe has embraced his role here with intelligence and determination,” coach Zac Taylor said in a statement. “The team responds to Joe as our quarterback, and we look forward to a bright future with Joe continuing to lead our talented roster. He makes everyone better.”
SEPTEMBER 7: With all eyes on the NFL’s season opener in Kansas City, the Bengals have stolen some attention away from their conference rival. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bengals and quarterback Joe Burrow have agreed to a record-breaking extension.
It’s a five-year, $275MM deal for Burrow, including $219.01MM in guaranteed money. The contract makes the QB the highest-paid player in NFL history.
It always seemed inevitable that Burrow would eventually get his megadeal, with offseason reports indicating that the extension would get done before the start of the regular season. Indeed, it sounds like both sides made some recent progress. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the extension was an “open secret” at Bengals practice today, and Rapoport adds that the organization was simply waiting for Burrow’s “final official yes.”
It’s been a pricey offseason for quarterback extensions, and Burrow always seemed like he’d be the final QB to sign. His $275MM contract tops the offseason deals signed by Justin Herbert ($262.5MM), Jalen Hurts ($255MM), and Lamar Jackson ($260MM). Per ESPN’s Field Yates, Burrow now paces the position “in new money average per year” at $55MM, beating Herbert ($52.5MM), Jackson ($52MM), Hurts ($51MM), and Aaron Rodgers ($49MM).
It’s been an impressive five-year run for Burrow. The LSU product won the Heisman Trophy and National Championship before being selected with the first-overall pick in the 2020 draft. He reached the Super Bowl during the 2021 campaign, and the Bengals returned to the AFC Championship Game during the 2022 season. Now, Burrow is the highest-paid player in NFL history, although he’ll surely fall down the list when the next round of extensions pop up next offseason.
Now signed to a lucrative deal, Burrow will look to build off his productive 2021 and 2022 campaigns. Burrow suffered a sprained calf back in August, putting the start of his 2023 season in doubt. However, after returning to practice last week, it sounds like the franchise QB will be good to go for Sunday’s season opener against the Browns.
While the Bengals front office can cross Burrow’s extension off their to-do list, the team has more pricey deals coming up. Tee Higgins is an impending free agent and will be a popular free agent, with the wideout topping 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons. Ja’Marr Chase is also eligible for an extension next offseason, meaning the Bengals could soon be eyeing pricey cap hits for three of their offensive stars.
Burrow’s record-breaking deal comes a day after Nick Bosa agreed to a contract that made him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. As Schefter notes, WME Sports was responsible for negotiating both deals, with the two contracts combining for more than $445MM.
Bengals, Tee Higgins Not Close On Extension
In reaching a record-shattering Joe Burrow extension, the Bengals finally completed their top contractual goal for 2023. They also extended Logan Wilson, reaching team-friendly terms with their top linebacker. Tee Higgins, however, remains unsigned. And the team’s No. 2 wide receiver looks set to enter a contract year.
The Bengals are not close on an extension with Higgins, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports, adding the sides have never gotten especially close on terms. Not much movement has occurred in recent weeks, per ESPN.com’s Ben Baby. Higgins is expected to remain a core piece for the Bengals this season, but his future is uncertain.
Burrow’s extension — a $55MM-per-year accord that creates distance between himself and the field — will complicate matters for Cincinnati, which used the star QB’s rookie contract to load up their roster. That said, the cap numbers for the quarterback’s landmark re-up are not yet known. It is possible the Bengals could maneuver their way to carving out room for a Higgins franchise tag.
This year’s round of QB re-ups have included lower cap hits in the first two years. Justin Herbert‘s first two years go $8.5MM and $19.3MM, while Lamar Jackson‘s sit at $22.15MM and $32.4MM. Jalen Hurts: $6.2MM, $13.6MM. Though, the Ravens and Eagles used void years for cap purposes from the start. The Bengals operate in a more traditional fashion, which could make them reluctant to include the increasingly popular space-creating mechanism this early in Burrow’s deal. But Burrow’s 2024 cap hit will be pertinent regarding the prospect of a Higgins franchise tag.
A 2024 Higgins tag will run the Bengals more than $20MM, and while Ja’Marr Chase is a clear-cut candidate to become the NFL’s highest-paid receiver in the not-too-distant future, the star wideout can be kept on his rookie deal through 2025 (via the fifth-year option). While the Vikings are working on a deal with Justin Jefferson, no team has signed a first-round wide receiver with two years of control remaining on his rookie contract in the fifth-year option era (2014-present). With Chase attached to a $9.8MM cap hit in 2024, a lower Burrow cap hit opens the door to the Bengals keeping their Chase-Higgins setup going for at least one more year. But that is not a lock, Conway adds, writing a Higgins tag would be unlikely.
That said, Bengals VP of player personnel Duke Tobin emphatically shut down Higgins trade inquiries at the Combine. It would seem the Bengals will have a tough time parting with their ascending WR2 next year, though a tag-and-trade scenario would also be an option. If Higgins reaches free agency, he would become one of the most coveted options available. While we are a ways away from knowing which receivers will hit the market, Higgins and Mike Evans — whom the Bucs are not planning to extend — would mark a considerable improvement from this year’s class. Tyler Boyd, who is almost certain to play out his Bengals deal and hit free agency in 2024, will likely fare decently as a first-time UFA as well.
“I have no clue,” Higgins said (via Baby) about his extension status. “My job is to come in every day and do what I do best — work and catch the ball from No. 9.”
Higgins said he has work to do and looks forward to bolstering his resume, which he added is “not as good as the greats,” via the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Charlie Goldsmith. The former second-round pick sits as one of the NFL’s top No. 2 options, topping 900 receiving yards in each of his three seasons and eclipsing 1,000 in 2021 and ’22.
Joe Burrow To Play In Week 1; Bengals Rule Out DE Joseph Ossai
Joe Burrow has a new contract in hand and the Bengals will not need to wait long to have him in the lineup after working out a record-setting extension. Head coach Zac Taylor confirmed on Friday that Burrow will play in the regular season opener. 
That has been the expected decision after Burrow continued making progress from the calf strain he suffered in July. The team gave him a recovery timeline of “several weeks” upon diagnosing the injury, which left open the possibility of missed game action in September. However, the league’s newest top-paid player resumed throwing shortly thereafter and returned to practice last week.
Given those developments, it comes as little surprise that Burrow will be in place on Sunday despite the missed training camp reps. The former No. 1 pick said early this week that he expected to play in Week 1, though he added, via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, that the injury is one which he will have to manage (subscription required).
Burrow also said he is unsure of how long he will take to return to 100%, but his presence will be welcomed in Week 1 and throughout a season in which the Bengals are expected to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Cincinnati lost backup Brandon Allen in the offseason, and questions remain about who will emerge as the team’s new QB2; that competition is now between Jake Browning and recent practice squad addition Will Grier.
The Bengals will not be at full strength when they take the field against the Browns, however. Taylor ruled out edge rusher Joseph Ossai, who has been dealing with an ankle injury. The 2021 third-rounder missed his entire rookie campaign, and he will now begin his third NFL season on the injury list. Ossai missed only one game between the regular and postseason in 2022, though, logging a 32% snap share. A rotational role behind Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard will await him upon return.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/5/23
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Lukas Denis
- Placed on IR: OT Barry Wesley
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Dezmon Patmon
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: TE Zach Gentry, LB Garrett Nelson
- Released: LB Tyler Murray
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Keelan Cole Sr.
- Released: WR Antoine Wesley
The Raiders added a veteran wideout to their practice squad in Keelan Cole Sr.. The 30-year-old spent the majority of the 2022 campaign in Las Vegas, hauling in 10 catches for 141 yards and one touchdown. He was productive in 31 games with the Jaguars and Jets between 2020 and 2021, catching 83 passes for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns.
Cole will be taking the spot held by Antoine Wesley, who earned his walking papers today. The former UDFA got into 15 games for the Cardinals in 2021, finishing with 19 catches for 208 yards and three touchdowns.
Will Grier Will Compete For Bengals’ Backup QB Job
The Bengals recently signed quarterback Will Grier to their practice squad, and Jake Browning is the only signal-caller other than Joe Burrow on the 53-man roster. Nonetheless, Grier will have an opportunity to unseat Browning as Burrow’s backup, according to Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network.
Grier, a third-round pick of the Panthers in 2019, entered training camp as a member of the Cowboys and was vying for a spot on the club’s QB depth chart alongside Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush. But when Dallas swung a trade for Trey Lance mere hours before its preseason finale against the Raiders, it was clear that Grier would soon be cut.
Knowing that he was now auditioning exclusively for other teams, Grier took every snap of that third and final preseason contest. He threw for 305 yards, rushed for 53 yards, and accounted for four total touchdowns (two throwing and two on the ground). Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called it the best preseason performance he had seen since 1999, and it caught the attention of the rest of the league.
As Morrison writes, Grier fielded mutliple phone calls after Dallas officially released him, but Grier ultimately felt Cincinnati represented the best fit.
“A big part for me was being on a good, competitive team, somebody that had talent and was a Super Bowl contender, which clearly this place is,” Grier said. “That was a big part of the decision.”
The fact that Grier has a real chance to become the QB2 doubtlessly influenced his decision to sign with the Bengals as well. Browning, who signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2019, has never thrown a regular season pass, and while he has spent the past two years in Cincinnati, much of that time has come on the taxi squad. He did beat out Trevor Siemian for the backup quarterback gig this summer, but he did not necessarily dazzle the coaching staff with his performance, and we heard towards the end of last month that the Bengals could be looking to supplement their QB room.
They did just that with the Grier acquisition. It is true that Grier does not have substantially more regular season experience than Browning; the former West Virginia standout has played in just two regular season games, and they were the final two contests of the 2019 campaign, when a dismal Panthers squad was playing out the string. Grier started and lost both games, completing just 53.8% of his passes while throwing four interceptions and no touchdowns.
Still, the Bengals (among other teams) saw something they liked, and Grier, who believes he is playing the best football of his career, will get his shot to back up one of the league’s best QBs.
DL Notes: Donald, Jones, Young, Cowboys
The Rams moving on from a wave of defensive starters this offseason could soon call Aaron Donald‘s status into question. No notable Donald trade noise has circulated just yet, but with the Rams retooling, those would not surprise. Donald’s landmark extension runs through 2024, but the guarantees on that $31.7MM-per-year deal end this year. Donald’s contract includes a no-trade clause, but it does not look like he will prioritize his hometown Steelers — either via trade or a potential free agency run. While the Pittsburgh alum may not necessarily rule out a stint with his hometown team, NBC Sports’ Peter King notes the all-time great does not have such a move as a priority. The Rams must decide on Donald’s 2024 status by Day 5 of the 2024 league year, when $30MM becomes guaranteed.
Donald, 32, threatened to retire last year but secured a landmark raise. The 10th-year veteran was not closely connected to retirement plans this offseason. Here is the latest from the D-line scene:
- Chase Young is on the verge of returning to full-time duty, after a 2021 ACL tear and patellar tendon rupture sidetracked the former Defensive Rookie of the Year’s career. But the fourth-year Commanders defensive end is recovering from another issue. As a result of a stinger sustained in the first preseason game, The Athletic’s Ben Standig notes Young has not received full clearance to return and is not a lock to be available in Week 1 (subscription required). Young has not practiced fully in more than two weeks; he was expected to meet with a doctor this week. The Commanders declined Young’s fifth-year option in May, putting him in a contract year along with Montez Sweat.
- Chris Jones‘ holdout has extended past the one-month mark, and while fines have piled up, the disgruntled D-tackle has indicated he would be willing to push this hiatus toward the midseason point. Jones reporting only to pick up an accrued season would certainly harm the Chiefs, who have relied on their dominant interior D-lineman for years. On that note, GM Brett Veach said (via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams) the sides have increased communication this week. Jones would accumulate nearly $10MM in total fines — from training camp fines and missed game checks — were he to sit out until Week 8. Andy Reid said Friday he has not been given any indication Jones will be back in time for Kansas City’s Thursday-night opener. Jones wants Donald-level money; the Chiefs are looking to pay him closer to the second tier of DT deals that formed this offseason. Quinnen Williams‘ $24MM-AAV deal tops that contingent.
- The Cowboys appear to be planning to work in first-round Mazi Smith slowly. The Michigan product is expected to be a rotational player to begin his career, with The Athletic’s Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf noting Johnathan Hankins and Osa Odighizuwa are likely to be team’s defensive tackle starters in Week 1. Smith, however, will obviously be expected to move into the starting lineup early in his career.
- Joseph Ossai‘s status for the Bengals‘ opener is up in the air due to a high ankle sprain, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer notes. The third-year defensive end is unlikely to suit up against the Browns, per Conway. While Ossai has shown some promise, injuries have continued to intervene. The 2021 third-round pick missed his entire rookie year and, after playing through a torn labrum late last year, underwent offseason surgery. The Bengals are deeper at D-end now, having drafted Myles Murphy in Round 1 to join Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard.
Joe Burrow Returns To Bengals’ Practice
The Bengals’ roster has seen plenty of alterations over the past few days, but a familiar face was back at practice on Wednesday. Quarterback Joe Burrow took part in team drills for the first time since his calf injury. 
Given the timing of the calf strain, questions have been raised about Burrow’s availability for the start of the regular season. The team expressed optimism he would be in place for Week 1 while declining to delve into specifics regarding a timeline for return. By taking the field today, the former No. 1 pick’s absence checked in at just shy of five weeks.
Burrow resumed throwing in mid-August, signaling that he would be able to take part in full team practices not long after. Today’s news confirms that, though Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network notes that Cincinnati elected to reserve practice to 7-on-7, rather than full 11-on-11 drills. The Pro Bowler’s presence was no doubt a welcomed development for the team nevertheless.
The Bengals are again expected to be a contender in the AFC, and their success will ride in very large part on Burrow’s performance. ACL tears in his rookie season and at the conclusion of Super Bowl LVI represent red flags on his NFL resume, however. The LSU alum also missed time late last offseason while recovering from an emergency appendectomy. This latest ailment falls in between the two scenarios in terms of recovery time.
Cincinnati will resume regular practices next week, Morrison adds, and it would come as no surprise if Burrow is in place taking first-team reps at that point. Presuming that takes place, he will have plenty of time to prepare for the team’s season opener and expectations will remain high ahead of the 2023 campaign.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC North
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bengals, Browns, Ravens and Steelers moves are noted below.
Cincinnati Bengals
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- DT Domenique Davis, RB Demetric Felton, CB Allan George, C Nate Gilliam, QB Will Grier, DE Jeff Gunter, LB Shaka Heyward, TE Tanner Hudson, WR Shedrick Jackson, CB Sidney Jones, G Jaxson Kirkland, WR Kwamie Lassiter II, WR Stanley Morgan, LB Tyler Murray, S Michael Thomas
Baltimore Ravens
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- QB Anthony Brown, G Tykeem Doss, RB Melvin Gordon (story) CB Jeremy Lucien, G Tashawn Manning, FB Ben Mason, LB Jeremiah Moon, C Sam Mustipher, DT Rayshad Nichols, LB Josh Ross, WR Sean Ryan, WR Laquon Treadwell, TE Travis Vokolek, S Daryl Worley, RB Owen Wright
Cleveland Browns
Claimed:
Placed on IR:
Waived:
- CB A.J. Green
Signed to practice squad:
- CB Lorenzo Burns, WR Jaelon Darden, G Michaell Dunn, RB Hassan Hall, K Lucas Havrisik, DT Trysten Hill, DE Sam Kamara, T Alex Leatherwood (story), S Tanner McCalister, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, DE Lonnie Phelps, LB Charlie Thomas, DE Isaiah Thomas, QB P.J. Walker, WR Austin Watkins
Pittsburgh Steelers
Released:
Claimed:
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- CB Luq Barcoo, RB Greg Bell, CB Anthony Brown (story) DL Breiden Fehoko, WR Dez Fitzpatrick, DL Jonathan Marshall, LB David Perales, S Trenton Thompson, TE Rodney Williams
Bengals Reduce Roster To 53, Place T La’el Collins On Reserve/PUP List
The Bengals have worked their way down to the 53-man roster limit. Here are the moves made on Tuesday to finalize their initial squad:
Released:
- TE Tanner Hudson
- CB Sidney Jones
- WR Stanley Morgan
- QB Trevor Siemian
- WR Trent Taylor
- S Michael Thomas
Waived:
- OT Hakeem Adeniji
- TE Devin Asiasi
- TE Nick Bowers
- S Larry Brooks
- G Ben Brown
- DE Owen Carney
- WR Malachi Carter
- P Drue Chrisman
- S Yusuf Corker
- DT Domenique Davis
- CB Allan George
- C Nate Gilliam
- DE Jeff Gunter
- LB Shaka Heyward
- WR Mac Hippenhammer
- WR Shedrick Jackson
- DE Raymond Johnson III
- LB Keandre Jones
- G Jaxson Kirkland
- WR Kwamie Lassiter II
- LB Jaylen Moody
- LB Tyler Murray
- HB Jacob Saylors
- QB Reid Sinnett
- TE Christian Trahan
- RB Calvin Tyler Jr.
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
Placed on IR:
- DT Tautala Pesefea Jr.
- CB Marvell Tell III
Collins will miss at least the first four weeks of the season given his PUP designation. The former Cowboy signed a three-year, $21MM deal in free agency last offseason to operate as Cincinnati’s right tackle starter. His play in his debut season was underwhelming, however, and that role will belong to Jonah Williams this season, unless the latter misses time or Collins usurps him on the depth chart. A knee injury is to blame for Collins’ missed time, per the team.
Both Pesefea and Tell will miss the entire season, as is the case for all players placed on IR before being named to the initial 53-man roster. They will either remain with the organization during the campaign, or be released via an injury settlement which would allow them to find a new opportunity elsewhere.
Jones represents a more experienced cut than most of the other players let go. The former second-rounder has 57 games and 27 starts to his name, and he split his time between the Seahawks and Raiders last season. Moving on from Jones further signals the team’s intention of relying on younger options like Cam Taylor-Britt and rookies DJ Turner and DJ Ivey in the secondary.
Losing Adeniji (unless he clears waivers and is retained via the practice squad, as will no doubt be the case for many of the players listed above) would leave the Bengals thin along the O-line, especially in light of the Collins news. The 2020 sixth-rounder has experience at multiple positions up front, but his level of play has been a contributing factor in the team’s urgency in pursuing free agent blockers in recent years.