Tyler Boyd - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Bengals WRs Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd

February 11th, 2023 at 2:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

During their playoff runs of the past two seasons, the Bengals have often been said to possess the NFL’s best receiving trio. Ja’Marr Chase leads the unit, but his two top supporting pass-catchers have played significant roles in the team’s success. Their respective futures could be headed in opposite directions, however.

Tee Higgins has become a highly productive wideout in his own right, spending one year in Cincinnati before Chase’s arrival and two years after it. As a rookie, Higgins totaled 908 yards and six touchdowns on 67 catches. The Bengals’ addition of Chase raised questions about Higgins’ workload to a degree, but the Clemson product has put up nearly identical statlines over the past two seasons with 74 receptions, over 1,000 yards and at least six scores in each campaign.

Higgins, 24, is now eligible for an extension. As a key member of the Bengals’ young core, he figures to be one of the team’s top offseason priorities (though finalizing a mega-deal with quarterback Joe Burrow tops that list). The former second-rounder would be in line for a hefty raise on a new pact given not only his production, but his age and position. The receiver market erupted last offseason, and is likely to continue to do so with the cap ceiling set to increase considerably in the future.

When speaking on the subject of his future, Higgins made his intentions clear. Specifically, he said, “I plan on being in Cincinnati for a while” (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network). He is on the books for the 2023 season, the final year of his rookie contract, but would make for a logical extension candidate to stay in place alongside Burrow and Chase as the foundation of the Bengals’ offense. Things may be much different for the third member of Cincinnati’s WR trio.

Tyler Boyd has been a consistent complimentary piece in the Burrow era, but the presence of Higgins and Chase has had an unsurprising effect on the veteran’s workload. Boyd has seen his target and reception totals drop in each of the past three seasons. His 762 yards this past campaign was his fewest since 2017, and he figures to continue taking on a smaller role in the team’s passing attack.

Knowing that, the 28-year-old is aware of his status as a cut candidate. Boyd is under contract for one more year at a cap hit of $10.3MM, but with no guaranteed money left on his pact, the Bengals would see just under $9MM in savings via a release. He recently acknowledged the possibility of his Bengals tenure coming to an end, albeit with an optimistic tone.

“We’ll see what they want to do with me, but I know I’m still entitled for a year,” Boyd said, via ESPN’s Ben Baby. “I’m not counting my chances of not being here out. You never know.”

The Bengals are currently in better shape than most teams in terms of cap space, but several extensions with recent draftees need to be budgeted for. Whether or not their highly-acclaimed receiving trio remains intact for one more year will be worth watching as the offseason takes shape.

Bengals WR Tyler Boyd Expected To Miss Time

December 12th, 2022 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

The Bengals kept pace in the race for the AFC North title yesterday with a win, despite being without two of their starting wideouts during most the contest. Tyler Boyd suffered a finger injury on the Bengals’ first drive, and was unable to return.

The veteran is dealing with a dislocated finger, and should miss one or two weeks as a result, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). Pain tolerance will become a key factor in determining when he is able to return, something which will be welcomed in Cincinnati given Boyd’s continued importance to their passing attack.

The 28-year-old has recorded 655 yards and four touchdowns on 45 receptions in 2022, despite competition for targets from Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Boyd’s 14.6 yards-per-catch average is the highest mark of his career, and he has been a consistent producer during the time missed by the other two dynamic pass-catchers. Signed to a four-year extension in 2019, Boyd’s place in the team’s pecking order should remain unchallenged in the coming years given his contributions throughout his career.

Chase’s return last week gave the Bengals their full array of starters at WR, but that status will be short-lived if Boyd misses time. The former has picked up where he left off prior to his own absence, totaling 216 yards in the past two games. Part of the reason for his season-high 15 targets yesterday, however, was another notable injury suffered at the position.

Higgins felt an issue with his hamstring during warmups, head coach Zac Taylor said after the game. That limited the 2020 second-rounder to one snap in the win over the Browns, but no updates have been provided with respect to his Week 15 availability. Chase and Higgins will be counted on more in the passing game if Boyd does indeed miss time, but a repeat of Sunday would be in order if the latter two are sidelined once again. The 9-4 Bengals visit the the Buccaneers next week in what will represent another opportunity for them to extend their win streak and potentially overtake the Ravens for the division lead.

A.J. Green Expected Out 6-8 Weeks

July 28th, 2019 at 5:28pm CST by Micah Powell

An MRI revealed Bengals star receiver A.J. Green tore ligaments in his ankle on Saturday and is now expected to miss the next six to eight weeks, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.

What was originally expected to be just a sprain now is expected to keep the pass-catcher out through the first week of the season. Green injured the ankle at the University of Dayton’s Welcome Stadium and the field conditions were considered to be subpar, according to Shefter [Twitter link].

This is, of course, a bad way to start camp for the Bengals and Green, who missed seven games a year ago and produced career lows in catches and receptions. At the age of 31, Green has been looking to ink a new deal with Cincinnati, but considering he’s missed 13 games in the last three years, the Bengals might not be in any hurry to get something done. Green is signed through 2019 but will become a free agent in 2020.

One of the Bengals all-time greats, Green ranks second in team annals in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns to Chad Johnson. Among the most productive wideouts since entering the league in 2011, Green earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his first seven seasons and has topped 1,000 yards six times.

Cincinnati will now focus its attention on the recently re-signed Tyler Boyd, who posted 76 grabs for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018, which led to him signing a four-year deal earlier this week.

Bengals, Tyler Boyd Agree To Extension

July 23rd, 2019 at 10:41am CST by Zachary Links

The Bengals are signing wide receiver Tyler Boyd to a four-year, $43MM extension, league sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Boyd now will be under contract through the 2023 season.

Prior to the deal, Boyd was set to play out the 2019 season before reaching free agency. Under the new pact, the Bengals have added four more years while Boyd has put himself in the top 20 at his position, in terms of new money average annual value. Furthermore, he’s now one of the league’s highest-paid slot receivers.

Following a pair of underwhelming seasons to begin his career, Boyd had a breakout campaign in 2018, hauling in 76 receptions for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games. Part of his production could be attributed to the fact that A.J. Green missed seven games, placing Boyd atop the depth chart. On the flip side, the receiver also established a career-high catch percentage and yards-per-target.

The deal is similar that of Sterling Shepard‘s contract with the Giants, which was a four-year deal worth $41MM ($21.3MM guaranteed), a watermark that Boyd personally said he had in mind. We’re still waiting on the full details, but the contract may also mirror the one Tyrell Williams signed with the Raiders (four years, $44MM ($22MM guaranteed)).

As our own Dallas Robinson previously pointed out, Boyd topped Shepard in every offensive category this past season, and he finished higher than the Giants wideout in both Pro Football Focus‘ positional grades and Football Outsiders’ receiving metrics. Boyd’s 2019 season was comparable to Williams’ 2016 campaign, although Williams was older and coming off a pair of subpar seasons when he signed his recent deal with Oakland.

With Boyd’s contract addressed, the Bengals’ focus now must shift to Green, who has one year to go on his deal. Despite Green’s recent injury trouble, both sides have expressed a strong desire to get something done.

Extension Candidate: Tyler Boyd

June 29th, 2019 at 11:45am CST by Ben Levine

When it comes to extension talk in Cincinnati, much of the focus is understandably on wide receiver A.J. Green. However, the player who follows Green on the depth chart is also eligible for a sizable raise.

Former second-round receiver Tyler Boyd is set to hit free agency following the 2019 season, and Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic wrote last month that the Bengals want to extend the 24-year-old. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as the wideout broke onto the scene last year.

Following a pair of underwhelming seasons to begin his career, Boyd had a breakout campaign in 2018, hauling in 76 receptions for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games. Part of his production could be attributed to the fact that Green missed seven games, placing Boyd atop the depth chart. On the flip side, the receiver also established a career-high catch percentage and yards-per-target.

Furthermore, Boyd adds a bit of toughness and personality to the Bengals, indicated by his decision to attend voluntary OTAs. As Dehner wrote, many extension-eligible players bypass these workouts in fear of an avoidable injury that could vicariously cost them millions. Boyd showed up anyway, stating that a pseudo-holdout would be an unnecessary distraction.

“I’m just trying to do what’s right,” Boyd said. “I’m going to be a team player and go out there and work my tail off. I’m not going to try to skip out on reps or miss a day. That’s the best approach to it. Typically, a guy trying to come out to a season saying, ‘you have to pay me,’ it shows where the care is going. He is a ‘me’ guy. Or, you are still working and going to be a team guy. I am not trying to strategize and make it seem like I’m just trying to do what’s right (to get a deal done), that’s just the way I am.”

So Boyd seems to be saying and doing all the right things, and he’s shown plenty of improvements on the field. So what kind of money will Boyd be eyeing on his next contract? The business-savvy receiver actually pointed to receiver Sterling Shepard‘s contract with the Giants, which was a four-year deal worth $41MM ($21.3MM guaranteed). Dehner suggested that Boyd could also focus on the deal that Tyrell Williams signed with the Raiders (four years, $44MM ($22MM guaranteed)).

As our own Dallas Robinson previously pointed out, Boyd topped Shepard in every offensive category this past season, and he finished higher than the Giants wideout in both Pro Football Focus‘ positional grades and Football Outsiders’ receiving metrics. Boyd’s 2019 season was comparable to Williams’ 2016 campaign, although Williams was older and coming off a pair of subpar seasons when he signed his recent deal with Oakland.

In other words, don’t be shocked if Boyd pushes for a contract that exceeds $11MM annually. Considering the receiver’s apparent affinity for Cincy, the guess here would be a four-year contract worth around $46MM (with a bit more than half guaranteed).

Of course, Boyd’s extension may be partly dependent on how the Bengals handle Green’s next deal. Regardless, expect Boyd’s superstar teammate to receive the first extension, at which time the front office will surely turn their focus to their fourth-year receiver.

Latest On Bengals WR Tyler Boyd

May 23rd, 2019 at 7:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Bengals wide receivers A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd are both entering contract years, and Cincinnati has expressed an interest in the pair of pass-catchers. Boyd, for his part, doesn’t plan to hold out in an attempt to get a new deal, as he explained to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic.

“I’m just trying to do what’s right,” Boyd said. “I’m going to be a team player and go out there and work my tail off. I’m not going to try to skip out on reps or miss a day. That’s the best approach to it. Typically, a guy trying to come out to a season saying, ‘you have to pay me,’ it shows where the care is going.”

Boyd, the Bengals’ second-round pick in 2016, posted a breakout season in 2018 with career-highs in receptions (76), yards (1,028), and touchdowns (seven). He did all that while playing in only 14 games, as a late-season MCL sprain knocked him out for the year’s final two contests. Under new head coach Zac Taylor, Boyd will start in two-wide sets and move to the slot in three-wide receiver looks. He played 552 of his 773 offensive snaps in the slot in 2018.

“I definitely look at the market and see where guys is at,” said Boyd. “A great example is Sterling Shepard. I feel like our game is kind of similar, kind of close. He got four for $40MM. I kind of feel like I’m in that area. Hopefully, they come like that or a little bit more or around that way.”

If Boyd is willing to accept Shepard’s contract — which was actually for $41MM and contained $16.2MM in guarantees — the Bengals should probably work to close the deal. Boyd topped Shepard in every offensive category and finished higher than the Giants wideout in both Pro Football Focus‘ positional grades and Football Outsiders’ receiving metrics.

Bengals WR Tyler Boyd Suffers MCL Sprain

December 17th, 2018 at 11:53am CST by Zachary Links

Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd suffered a low-grade MCL sprain, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). With only two weeks left in the season, this will likely spell the end of his 2018 campaign.

Boyd topped 1,000 yards in Sunday’s win over the Raiders and showed a ton of promise on the whole this year. The 2016 second-round pick is only under contract through the 2019 season, so extension talks should be on the horizon. At that point, Boyd will be in store for a big payday.

This marked a season of all new career highs for the 24-year-old as he reeled in 76 grabs for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns. It was the breakout the Bengals needed as star A.J. Green battled injuries throughout the year.

Unfortunately, Boyd’s performance wasn’t enough to keep the Bengals afloat. At 6-8, the Bengals are out of the playoff hunt and mostly playing for pride in their final two contests against the Browns and Steelers.

WR Tyler Boyd Open To Signing Extension

December 8th, 2018 at 8:58am CST by Ben Levine

Tyler Boyd is having a breakout season, and he could surely expect a lucrative payday once his rookie deal expires after next season. However, it sounds like the Bengals wideout isn’t all that focused on hitting free agency, as Boyd told Jay Morrison of The Athletic that he’s open to signing an extension with Cincinnati.

“I’m very open for an extension,” the 24-year-old said. “I definitely think about that at times because all the hard work and what I’ve done has showed why I should get paid. But at the end of the day, I’m here to play football and I want them to know that. It ain’t all about the money. I love to play the game. Yes, I want to get the money because I’m working my tail off.

“I’m comfortable here. I like it here. I like the guys that are here. I like the coaches. And I know we have the team to be great. We just have to keep everybody healthy and keep everybody rolling and just stay together. A lot of times there’s a lot of ups and downs, but if we can keep the train going straight, keep everything going straight, no stops or nothing, we can be unbeatable. We can be like the Chiefs in this league.”

Boyd is proving why the Bengals used a second-round pick on him (55th overall) during the 2016 draft. The third-year player has already established career-highs in receptions (69), receiving yards (938), and touchdowns (six) this season, and he could be the first Bengals player not named A.J. Green to lead the team in receiving since 2010.

The last time the Bengals had such a reliable second receiver was 2015, when Marvin Jones hauled in 812 receiving yards. While Jones signed a five-year deal to be the top receiver in Detroit, Boyd said he isn’t concerned about playing second-fiddle to Green.

“The reason that situation works out for me, I feel like me and A.J. are two different players,” Boyd said. “I can work the slot a lot. I can accumulate a lot of yards in the slot. Marvin wasn’t that guy. Marvin ain’t that type of player to accumulate a lot of big yards in the slot. He knew in order for him to get a lot of catches and a lot of yards and be that guy he had to be a No. 1 because he plays the same position as A.J. That’s why that didn’t work out.

“That was his last year of his contract. He could either stay or leave. He had that option. I’m really stuck between.”

Boyd is set to make $1.03MM next season. He’ll hit unrestricted free agency if he doesn’t sign an extension before the 2020 offseason.

Charges Against Bengals’ Tyler Boyd Dropped

March 8th, 2018 at 12:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Drug charges against Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd have been dismissed, as ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell writes. Boyd was facing charges of possessing a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia after a car crash in July, but he’ll no longer have to worry about legal consequences stemming from the incident.

Boyd’s wrecked car was found by police after 3 a.m. on a July day with several bottles of alcohol and multiple vape pens that tested positive for THC. However, Boyd said that a friend of his was driving the car and that person later admitted to being behind the wheel.

Had he been convicted in this case, Boyd would have been likely to face league discipline given that he was charged with a DUI in college. Although the league cannot punish players retroactively for pre-NFL incidents, his history would have been a factor. The league can still fine or suspend players for cases that do not result in convictions, but that seems less likely given the circumstances in this instance.

Boyd, 24 in November, missed games due to injury in 2017 and was not targeted all that much when he was on the field. He became more involved in the offense late in the season, however, with ten catches for 130 yards and one touchdown in his final two games.

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Big Ben, Ravens

October 9th, 2017 at 6:15pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Following yesterday’s five-interception against the Jaguars, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger offered a concise report of his performance. “Maybe I don’t have it anymore,” Roethlisberger told Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (Twitter link). While Roethlisberger could have been hoping for levity after a brutal loss, the comments do call into question just how much longer Roethlisberger will play, especially given that he’s contemplated retirement on multiple occasions. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, the idea of forfeiting bonus money could have swayed Roethlisberger into continuing his career in 2017, but that concept will continue in the next few years. If Roethlisberger hangs up it after this season, for example, he’d owe the Steelers $12.4MM in bonus money (of course, Pittsburgh isn’t obligated to collect that total).

Here’s more from the AFC North:

Ravens running back Terrance West is expected to miss time after suffering a calf injury on Sunday, but he won’t facing a lengthy absence, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). West, 26, had been splitting carries with Javorius Allen and Alex Collins, and had managed 39 rushes for 138 yards and two touchdowns this season. With West sidelined, Allen figures to see even more work (he toted the ball 21 times on Sunday) while Collins could also see increased usage. But Baltimore may need to add a running back, as Allen and Collins are the only healthy runners on the roster. Practice squader John Crockett is a candidate for promotion.
Tyler Boyd will also be out for a few weeks, as the Bengals receiver sprained his MCL in Week 5, tweets Rapoport. Boyd, who is facing a possible legal situation and was mysteriously a healthy scratch in Week 2, has been almost completely phased out of Cincinnati’s offense this season. The former second-round pick has been targeted only nine times, and managed just six receptions for 43 yards.
The Ravens will be without yet another offensive lineman for the next several weeks, as guard Matt Skura suffered a sprained MCL and will miss two-to-four games, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Skura, who has started three games for the Ravens this season, will likely give way to rookie Jermaine Eluemunor at right guard. Baltimore has already lost front five players Marshal Yanda, Alex Lewis, and Nico Siragusa to injury.
Free agent safeties Harold Jones-Quartey and Malik Smith, plus offensive tackles Korren Kirven and Victor Salako, worked out for the Browns, per veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (Twitter link). Of that foursome, only Jones-Quartey has NFL experience, as the 24-year-old started 12 games for the Bears in 2016.