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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins Prioritizing injury avoidance
Fri, Jun 6, 2025, 12:27 PM
Higgins said Wednesday at voluntary OTAs that he's adapted his offseason practice regimen to focus on preventing injuries, Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official site reports.
Analysis: Higgins, who inked a massive four-year, $115 million deal with the Bengals in March, said that in addition to focusing on strength and speed, his goal this offseason has been to "get my muscles right" and break his trend of lower-body soft-tissue injuries. Such issues forced him to miss five regular-season games in both 2023 and 2024. Even if he plays a full 17 regular-season games for the first time in his career, Higgins could have a tough time repeating his per-game efficiency from 2024, when he tallied 73 catches for 911 yards (on 109 targets) and a career-high 12 touchdowns across 12 appearances. A portion of Higgins' production can be attributed to Joe Burrow leading the league in pass attempts while struggling to compensate for Cincinnati's porous defense, which allowed 25.5 points per game. The Bengals failed to substantially revamp the defense this offseason, though, which could set the stage for a similar script in 2025, especially with Ja'Marr Chase and TE Mike Gesicki having re-signed to provide complete continuity on offense. |
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Zack Moss Zack Moss Good to go at OTAs
Wed, May 28, 2025, 12:40 PM
Moss (neck) participated in the Bengals' opening session of OTAs on Tuesday, Albert Cesare of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports
Analysis: Moss signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Bengals last offseason and reworked the deal in April to add guaranteed money for the 2025 campaign, which the contract did not previously include. That positions him to kick off Week 1 as one of the top backups to Chase Brown alongside free-agency signing Samaje Perine, a role that Moss looks increasingly secure in with Cincinnati's only backfield addition in the 2025 NFL Draft having been Tahj Brooks in the sixth round. Moss looked uninspiring across his eight appearances last season, logging 74 carries for 242 yard (3.3 YPC) and two scores before landing on IR with a neck injury. The 27-year-old nonetheless seems the favorite to earn the top reserve role behind Brown, but he will have to show some signs of increased efficiency to insulate his role against pressure from Perine and/or Brooks. |
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Charlie Jones Charlie Jones Active at OTAs
Wed, May 28, 2025, 12:21 PM
Jones (groin) participated during OTAs on Tuesday, Ryan Meyer of the Bengals' official site reports.
Analysis: Jones missed Cincinnati's last regular-season game of the 2024 campaign due to a groin issue, but he seems to be back to full strength with offseason workouts underway. He was involved more as a returner last season than on offense, something that doesn't figure to change much in 2025 as long as Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins remain available. |
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Chase Brown Chase Brown Getting in work at OTAs
Wed, May 28, 2025, 10:23 AM
Brown (ankle) participated in Cincinnati's opening session of OTAs on Tuesday.
Analysis: Brown appears back to full health after an ankle injury forced him to sit out the Bengals' regular-season finale against Pittsburgh last year. The 25-year-old running back is fresh off a Year 2 breakout in which he rushed 229 times for 990 yards (4.3 YPC) and seven scores while adding an impressive 54 catches (on 65 targets) for 360 yards and four touchdowns. Brown's 2024 performance is particularly impressive considering that as a rookie fifth-rounder in 2023, he logged just 44 carries for 179 yards. Cincinnati opted to keep Zack Moss (neck) around via a reworked deal rather than significantly add to the backfield in free agency beyond Samaje Perine, or in the 2025 NFL Draft other than sixth-rounder Tahj Brooks. Those decisions imply confidence from the team in Brown's ability to reprise a significant starting workload, a role that he's already proven an ability to translate into high-end fantasy upside. |
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Jermaine Burton Jermaine Burton Impressing at camp
Thu, May 22, 2025, 2:39 PM
Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters Wednesday that Burton has "done a good job" this offseason, Chris Roling of USA Today reports.
Analysis: Burton, a 2024 third-round pick from Alabama, struggled throughout his rookie campaign, catching just four passes for 107 yards and tallying 378 kick-return yards over 14 games. Additionally, the Bengals had concerns about the 23-year-old's character, as he missed a pregame walkthrough and was involved in other incidents during the 2024 season. However, Taylor seems to be impressed with Burton's progression this offseason. If he can continue to impresses Cincinnati's staff this summer, Burton could serve as the team's No. 3 wide receiver in 2025. |
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Joe Burrow Joe Burrow Enjoying healthy offseason
Thu, May 22, 2025, 8:51 AM
Burrow said "I feel great" at practice Wednesday after playing with a ligament injury in his right wrist throughout the 2024 campaign, adding that "this is the best I've felt in the offseason," Paul Dehner of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: This time last offseason, Burrow was recovering from surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist and working to be cleared for full contact. That wrist most noticeably hampered him early in 2024, but even by Cincinnati's regular-season finale Burrow was still listed on the injury report due to both wrist and knee issues. "Just like with any ligament injury, it's going to take a while to come back," Burrow said, but he acknowledged that "it's better this time of the year than it was last time at the same time." Despite battling those lingering injuries, Burrow managed a resurgent 2024 season to the tune of a 71 percent completion rate (460 of 652 attempts), 4,918 passing yards and a 43:9 TD:INT -- career-high marks across the board. In addition to his physical wellness, Burrow will have the benefit of an offseason without any of his major playmakers on offense holding out. With all of Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and TE Mike Gesicki having been inked to multi-year extensions, the Bengals offense boasts an amount of long-term stability it lacked this time last year. |
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Zack Moss Zack Moss Gains security with reworked deal
Mon, Apr 21, 2025, 5:49 PM
The Bengals and Moss (neck) agreed to terms on a reworked contract Monday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Moss signed a two-year, $8 million deal with Cincinnati last offseason, but it didn't include any guaranteed money beyond 2024. While he kicked off last year as the Bengals' starting running back, he eventually ceded reps to second-year pro Chase Brown (ankle) and then was shut down after Week 8 due to a neck injury. With guaranteed money included in the reworked contract, there's a sense that Moss is making good progress in his recovery, and assuming he's good to go by Week 1 of the upcoming campaign, he and Samaje Perine will be the primary reserve RB options behind Brown. |
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Logan Woodside Logan Woodside Signed by Cincinnati
Wed, Apr 16, 2025, 3:07 PM
The Bengals signed Woodside to a contract Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: Woodside spent time during the 2024 campaign bouncing between Cincinnati's practice squad and active roster, and he worked as the team's emergency No. 3 quarterback on occasion. He looks primed to spend the offseason competing for a practice squad role behind Joe Burrow and Jake Browning. |
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Andrei Iosivas Andrei Iosivas Adds muscle in offseason
Fri, Apr 11, 2025, 2:10 PM
Iosivas said Thursday he's added roughly 15 pounds this offseason, bulking up to a weight of 220 as part of his workout regimen, Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official site reports.
Analysis: Iosivas officially weighed in at 205 pounds last season but said he usually played at nearer to 207, so his offseason transformation has already been drastic. The 2023 sixth-round pick said he aims to play between 215-220 pounds in 2025, saying "that'd be ideal because I really feel like I'm moving better and I'm faster and stronger." At 6-foot-3, Iosivas is already a dangerous target in the red zone, having scored six times on just 36 catches in 2024. If Iosivas' claim that his added size and strength haven't negatively impacted his quickness translates to on-field activities, he'll be primed to enter Year 3 as significant ancillary complement to top wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, both whom inked massive long-term deals with Cincinnati in March. |
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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins Signs long-term deal with CIN
Sun, Mar 16, 2025, 10:07 PM
Higgins and the Bengals agreed on a four-year, $115 million contract with the first two years guaranteed Sunday, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports.
Analysis: Higgins and Cincinnati were able to come to an agreement on a long-term deal after the wide receiver had been franchise tagged for the second straight year. The 26-year-old caught 73 of 109 targets for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns over 12 regular-season games in 2024, and he'll now remain a Bengal for the foreseeable future. Teammate Ja'Marr Chase and the team also agreed on a four-year, $161 million contract extension Sunday, so the formidable wideout duo will continue to cause problems for defenses for years to come. |
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Ja'Marr Chase Ja'Marr Chase Signs record-setting deal with CIN
Sun, Mar 16, 2025, 10:00 PM
Chase and the Bengals agreed on a four-year, $161 million contract extension with $112 million guaranteed Sunday, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports.
Analysis: Chase officially has gotten his massive deal, which makes him the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history. In total, he's now under contract for the next five years, in line to earn $182.816 million, per Schultz. The wide receiver has been nothing short of elite during his four-year career with the Bengals, most recently winning the NFL's "triple crown" in 2024, catching 127 of 175 targets for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns over 17 regular-season games. Additionally, teammate Tee Higgins and Cincinnati agreed on a four-year, $115 million deal Sunday, keeping both of Joe Burrow's top pass catchers under contract for the foreseeable future. |
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Samaje Perine Samaje Perine Reunion with Cincinnati on tap
Mon, Mar 10, 2025, 2:23 PM
The Bengals are slated to sign Perine to a two-year contract worth up to $3.8 million, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Perine gets a chance to return to Cincinnati, where he played from 2020-22. The veteran pass-catching specialist figures to operate primarily as a change-of-pace option with the Bengals, with Chase Brown (ankle) standing atop the depth chart after a breakout 2024 campaign, and Zack Moss (neck) under contract for one more season. Across 17 regular-season games with the Chiefs in 2024, Perine rushed 20 times for 92 yards and a touchdown, while also securing 28 catches of 35 targets for 322 yards and a touchdown. |
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Mike Gesicki Mike Gesicki Three-year extension with Cincy
Sat, Mar 8, 2025, 11:09 AM
The Bengals signed Gesicki to a three-year, $25.5 million extension Saturday, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports.
Analysis: Gesicki joined the Bengals on a one-year, $2.5 million contract in March of 2024 after spending the 2023 season with the Patriots and the first five years of his NFL career with the Dolphins. After logging 61 catches in the two seasons prior to 2024, Gesicki had a nice bounce-back campaign in Cincinnati, where he registered 65 catches (on 83 targets) for 665 yards and two touchdowns across 17 regular-season games. Gesicki had six games in which he tallied at least 50 receiving yards, and the 2018 second-round pick out of Penn State will continue to serve as Joe Burrow's security blanket in the passing game. |
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Tanner Hudson Tanner Hudson Staying in Cincinnati
Fri, Mar 7, 2025, 10:07 AM
Hudson signed a one-year contract with the Bengals on Friday.
Analysis: Hudson had a brief moment in the sun during the 2023 season, averaging 4.1 catches for 35.7 yards over a seven-game stretch, but Mike Gesicki then replaced him as Cincinnati's top pass-catching TE in 2024. Hudson finished last season with a 19-154-1 receiving line (23 targets) in 11 games, missing six weeks with two separate knee injuries. He turned 30 in November and likely will have to settle for a reserve role in 2025 even if the Bengals don't re-sign Gesicki. |
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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins Not on trade market
Thu, Mar 6, 2025, 9:08 AM
Teams have contacted the Bengals about trading for Higgins but have been told he isn't available, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: A franchise tag can pave the way for a trade, but in this case it seems more likely to lead to a multi-year contract. The Bengals may end up rethinking their stance, however, if negotiations don't progress within the next few weeks and there's serious risk of no long-term agreement being reached before the July 15 deadline. Higgins might hesitate to sign his franchise tag (worth $26.17 million) if that were to happen, having already played under the tag once, although he'd likely still sign it before Week 1 rather than miss out on around $1.5 million each week. The Bengals hope it won't come to that and presumably have already begun negotiations for a multi-year contract. |
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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins Franchise tagged again
Mon, Mar 3, 2025, 1:40 PM
Higgins (ankle) announced Monday via his personal social media accounts that the Bengals have informed him he will receive the franchise tag.
Analysis: Cincinnati will place the franchise tag on Higgins for a second consecutive offseason, positioning him to play out the 2025 campaign on a one-year, $26.17 million contract unless both sides can reach agreement on a long-term extension by July 15. The move prevents Higgins from hitting free agency at the start of the new league year next week, as he would have been arguably the top available player on the open market. The Bengals have expressed a commitment in retaining the 26-year-old wideout via a long-term deal, motivated no doubt in part by Joe Burrow's public statements that he desires Higgins, Ja'Marr Chaseand pass rusher Trey Hendrickson kept together as a headline trio. Higgins posted a 73-911-10 receiving line despite playing just 12 regular-season games in 2024. |
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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins Expected to be franchise tagged
Mon, Feb 17, 2025, 1:53 PM
The Bengals are expected to apply the franchise tag to Higgins (ankle), the window for which will officially open Tuesday and last until March 4, James Rapien of SI.com reports.
Analysis: Higgins played on the franchise tag in 2024, when he managed a 73-911-10 line on 109 targets across 12 regular-season games, posting double-digit touchdowns for the first time in his career. Quarterback Joe Burrow already has made his desire for Higgins to be retained clear, per Michael Baca of NFL.com, and the franchise tag could act as a first step for both sides to negotiate a long-term deal. Were he to hit the free-agent market, Higgins would be the top available option at the wide receiver position, if not across the board. Higgins would carry a one-year salary of $26.17 million were he to play out 2025 on the franchise tag. |
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Jermaine Burton Jermaine Burton Records four receptions as rookie
Fri, Feb 14, 2025, 11:25 PM
Burton notched four catches on 14 targets for 107 yards over 14 regular-season games in 2024. He added 378 yards on 13 kick returns.
Analysis: After being selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Burton got limited run in his first pro campaign. He was inefficient in catching balls thrown his way, though he did show an ability to make big plays, as two of his four catches went for over 40 yards. Late in the campaign, Burton took over as the Bengals' primary kick returner and showed significant promise in that role, averaging 29.1 yards per return. The Alabama product was held out of the Bengals' regular-season finale due to an off-the-field event, and though that isn't expected to carry over into next season, Burton was also benched for a game earlier in the season for disciplinary reasons. He'll likely need to make a better impression on and off the field in order to have a chance to grow in the Bengals' offense next year. |
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Jake Browning Jake Browning Works only in mop-up duty in 2024
Fri, Feb 14, 2025, 11:08 PM
Browning didn't throw a pass over three regular-season games in 2024. He rushed twice for minus-2 yards.
Analysis: A season-ending injury to Joe Burrow in Week 11 of 2023 gave Browning an opportunity for substantial playing time, but Burrow remained healthy throughout 2024, and Browning consequently spent almost the entire campaign on the bench. Browning signed a two-year contract with Cincinnati last April, so he's slated to work as Burrow's backup again next season. |
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Joe Burrow Joe Burrow Wins Comeback Player of the Year
Thu, Feb 6, 2025, 8:36 PM
Burrow was named the 2024 NFL Comeback Player of the Year on Thursday, Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: Burrow had a resurgent 2024 campaign after missing seven games in 2023 due to a wrist injury. This season, the quarterback completed 71 percent of his passes for an NFL-high 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns, while throwing nine interceptions over 17 regular-season games. Burrow also added 201 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. |
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