The NFL has the only offseason in major American sports where half a calendar year can pass by and it's still ongoing. It's July and we still have two more months until the actual games start!
The offseason may not be over for the Cincinnati Bengals, but with training camp just three weeks away, we can safely say any major changes have already been done to the team. Any ongoing issues are a product of how the last six months have gone down and are likely to be solved in time to some degree.
Crossing into the back-half of the year allows us to finally grade the Bengals' 2025 offseason. Check out the video version directly below and continue reading for the elongated article version.
Coaching changes were absolutely needed in Cincinnati and this turnover looks to be promising. The process of which Golden came in without much competition was suspect at the time, but it was clear he was their top candidate and his history with the team and head coach Zac Taylor still being his literal neighbor made it far too obvious of a decision. Peters and Montgomery bring new energy and visions for the trenches. Peters specifically has much to prove ala Golden in a relatively new role for him, but the promise is at least exciting.
Notable Internal Moves
- Alex Cappa: Released
- B.J. Hill: Three-year, $33 million contract
- Cody Ford: Two-year, $6 million contract
- Germaine Pratt: Released
- Ja'Marr Chase: Four-year, $161 million contract
- Joseph Ossai: One-year, $6.5 million contract
- Mike Gesicki: Three-year, $25.5 million contract
- Sam Hubbard: Retired
- Sheldon Rankins: Released
- Tee Higgins: Four-year, $115 million contract
The releases were expected, albeit with an interesting timeline, and re-signing Hill, Gesicki, and Ossai were semi-unexpected pluses, but retaining the duo of Chase and Higgins was the ultimate goal. Checking them off was a win, but the way their contracts were structured leaves much to be desired as they contain overinflated salary cap hits for this offseason. It's the Bengals way to go one step forward and immediately learning it wasn't as big of a step as it appeared.
Free Agency Class
- Lucas Patrick: One-year, $2.1 million contract
- Oren Burks: Two-year, $5 million contract
- Samaje Perine: Two-year, $3.6 million contract
- T.J. Slaton: Two-year, $14.1 million contract
Everyone in Cincinnati outside of the front office expected this list to be at least slightly longer. None of the moves were ill-advised by any means, but it's looking like Slaton and possibly Patrick are going to be the most impactful external additions outside of the rookie class, and that's uninspiring to say the least. No veteran pass rush help arrived, and Patrick is their only hope of solidifying the right guard spot outside of Ford, who is already a known commodity in this offense. The club clearly has faith in its own players improving, but that faith is only proven correct so often.
NFL Draft Class
- Round 1, Pick 17: Texas A&M EDGE Shemar Stewart
- Round 2, Pick 49: South Carolina LB Demetrius Knight Jr.
- Round 3, Pick 81: Georgia G Dylan Fairchild
- Round 4, Pick 119: Clemson LB Barrett Carter
- Round 5, Pick 153: Miami OT Jalen Rivers
- Round 6, Pick 193: Texas Tech RB Tahj Brooks
We graded this haul back in April with middling marks. We'll get to Stewart's off-field drama in a minute, but as a player, he's an entirely unfinished ball of clay. That description attached to your first-round pick is scary, but at least exciting to an extent. Knight and Fairchild look like they're going to settle in as starters, but rookie woes aren't out of the question for them either. The last three picks still look like good value decisions, so the class as a whole remains passable.
Remaining Problems
Nothing major, just contract turmoil with the defense's best player and the first-round pick. Trey Hendrickson claims he won't play this year without a contract extension. Shemar Stewart refuses to agree to default language being introduced by the club and hasn't even practiced yet. Neither problem appears close to being solved despite training camp coming up in three weeks. That both are problems in the first place are a bad look by the franchise.
There's no reason why Hendrickson should still be here looking for a new deal. His value is only going to increase if more edge rushers get paid before him, and his trade value has only dropped since the draft concluded. Allowing this to prolong with the vision of Hendrickson walking back to the table with his tail tucked between his legs is woefully unnecessary, but a predictable course of action for them.
Stewart's situation includes far more nuance. The team is in the right to propose language that is standard for other franchises, and Stewart is right to reject it without certain concessions coming his way. Not willing to negotiate is on the team, and refusing to practice is on Stewart's shoulders.
Odds are both will be on the field when Week 1 arrives. The end result is what the matters from a bottom-line perspective, but the process of getting there still needs immense work.
Offseason Grade: C-
Intriguing coaching changes, solid free agency decisions in a vacuum, and netting two immediate starters from the draft are the positives the Bengals can hang their hats on. Chase and Higgins needed to be paid, and despite the front-loaded structures of those deals, they made a defining statement getting those two in the fold.
Everything else? Much to be desired.
The guard spot is still shaky at best with Joe Burrow coming off an MVP-caliber season despite a banged up and maligned offensive line in front of him. Failing to be aggressive there in free agency can easily come back to haunt them. The same can be said with the pass rush. If Stewart doesn't hit immediately, Ossai and Myles Murphy will need to provide a significant boon to the unit. The logic of Slaton helping clog interior run lanes to set up obvious passing downs tracks, but again, is that enough to feel comfortable?
More than anything, it didn't feel like Cincinnati quite recognized how important this offseason was. Burrow and Chase lit defenses on fire last year and each had what could end being the best season of their careers wasted due to the incompetence of their defense. That defense may now be run by a new coach, but the on-field differences are marginal at best.
Chase, Higgins, and Hendrickson should've all been taken care of sooner, without the usual haggling over guarantees. More external talent should've been added in March, but bandwidth was needed to get the receivers signed. The same salary cap inflexibility for the sake of minimizing future dead money continues a cycle that doesn't actually benefit the club since all the chips are never actually pushed to the middle of the table.
A C- allows you to pass school. The Bengals will enter this year with pieces in place to contend for the playoffs and, with luck, a Super Bowl. The path they should've taken, however, was a lot smoother and more aggressive.
