3 potentіаl cut cаndіdаteѕ for tһe Bengаlѕ tһіѕ offѕeаѕon

For teams, parting ways with players isn't always easy, but it's often necessary in the name of improvement. Players get cut by every team, every single year, and this year will be no different. With that said, here's a look at three potential cut candidates for the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason.

Sheldon Rankins, Defensive tackle

Sheldon Rankins' first season in Cincinnati could also be his last. Cincinnati signed Rankins to a two-year, $24.5 million deal in free agency last offseason with high hopes, but his 2024 campaign was underwhelming.

Availability was Rankins' main issue, as he missed more games than he played in. He was sidelined for three games early in the season with a hamstring injury, and then he missed the final seven games of the campaign with an illness. Overall, he missed 10 games and played in only seven.

Rankins, 30, wasn't particularly impressive when he was on the field, either. He recorded just 10 total tackles and a single sack. Giving his lack of production -- and availability -- it seems very possible that the Bengals will part ways with over the offseason. Doing so would save Cincinnati $9.5 million against the cap, while counting as just $2 million in dead money, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic.

Sam Hubbard, Defensive end

Sometimes in business, difficult decisions need to be made, and parting ways with Sam Hubbard would be a difficult decision. But difficult doesn't necessarily mean dumb, and often, it means the exact opposite.

Hubbard struggled in 2024, and his numbers were down across the board. He had just 41 total tackles, which is his lowest total since his rookie season, when he didn't start a single game. His two sacks also tied a career-low. He struggled to generate pressure on opposing QBs all season, probably in part due to the fact that he was playing through a hamstring tear.

But at 29, Hubbard's best days might be behind him, and the team would save over $9 million in salary cap space if they release him this offseason. The Bengals will need all of the cap space that they can get to make necessary upgrades to the roster, so moving on from Hubbard is something that the organization will have to consider.

Germaine Pratt, Linebacker

The Bengals need to upgrade the linebacker corps. and that could include parting ways with Germaine Pratt, who has one year remaining on his current contract. Pratt wasn't terrible in 2024, as he even recorded a career high 143 total tackles and had two interceptions. But he always missed his fair share of tackles, and went long stretches of time where it felt like he wasn't having an impact.

The Bengals would clear over $5 million in cap space by cutting ties with Pratt over the offseason, and ultimately opening that space could be more valuable than bringing the veteran linebacker back for another season.