Huge Setback: The Cincinnati Bengals Key player explained ..

Huge Setback: The Cincinnati Bengals Key player explained why he will no longer play for the team…

The Cincinnati Bengals need to go shopping.

The Bengals need to win this free agency season if they want to be a contender again for the Lombardi Trophy. The Bengals can start preliminary talks with players and their representatives on Monday in an effort to restock at spots that need it most.

For the Bengals, defensive tackle, safety, right tackle, and tight end are the main need positions. The Bengals’ draft plans will be significantly influenced by their actions in free agency. Cincinnati will have a projected $52 million in cap space when it enters free agency.

Joe Burrow, the top cap hit for the Cincinnati Bengals heading into NFL free agency, is $29 million.

$21 million for Tee Higgins

$20 million for Trey Hendrickson

Orlando Brown: sixteen million dollars

$10 million for BJ Hill

Sam Hubbard: Ten million dollars

This year, the Bengals require the departure of at least three starters via free agency. According to their positioning needs, they could target the people listed below.

Five unrestricted NFL players The Bengals may target defensive tackle Grouber Stewart.Previous group: Indianapolis Colts

30 years old

Last contract: $30.7M for three years with a $19M guarantee, with an average yearly salary of $10.2M

Defending tackle The Bengals may target Grover Stewart in the upcoming free agency class.
Because of this, he complements the Bengals: Last season, the Bengals were among the NFL’s worst teams when it came to stopping the run. Cincinnati’s run defense would immediately get better after signing Stewart. Stewart is currently among the finest defensive tackles in the league when it comes to stopping runs.

Out of all interior defensive lineman, Pro Football Focus ranked Stewart as their fifth-best run defender for 2023. Stewart’s effectiveness as a pass rusher inside the defensive line is his lone drawback. He has just nine sacks in seven seasons.

Stewart’s run defense is his greatest asset, and the Bengals need to get better in this area the following season. In the NFL last year, Cincinnati ranked No. 26 against the run. Cincinnati knows how important it is to be consistently strong against the run, especially because they play in the AFC North against some of the top running offenses in the league.

defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins

Previous group: Houston Texans

29 years old

Last deal: $9.7 million for a year with a signing bonus of $7 million

Sheldon Rankins, a defensive tackle, is expected to sign a third NFL deal.
Because of this, he complements the Bengals: The Bengals’ pass rush needs to be more effective. Trey Hendrickson was responsible for 17.5 of the 44 sacks that Cincinnati recorded at the end of 2023. Rankins might provide the Bengals with extra pass rush, since they need it from players other than Hendrickson.

Rankins will receive a contract offer from the Bengals, but despite aging, his output has actually grown. This is his third NFL contract. Rankins was rated 31st among interior defensive lineman in Pro Football Focus’ pass rush rankings.

It seems that Rankins would be willing to sign a one-year contract someplace, based on his previous contract. The Bengals could be intrigued by this. Rankins entered the league in 2018 and has since accumulated 29.5 sacks.

Geno Stone, security

Previous group: Baltimore Ravens

24 years old

Last deal: $1.6 million, one year

Security In the second week of the 2023 NFL season, Geno Stone intercepted Joe Burrow, the quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Reasons for his Bengals fit: Since Stone picked off Joe Burrow in the first meeting between Cincinnati and Baltimore in the 2023 season, the Bengals have firsthand knowledge of Stone’s abilities. In addition to Jordan Battle, a second-year safety, Stone would provide the Bengals with a long-term solution at free safety.

The Bengals need to revamp their secondary after losing Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates in the same summer. After a dismal debut season as a starter, Dax Hill doesn’t seem to be the solve at free safety. The Bengals get familiarity with a player and experience at a position they need by signing Stone.

Stone will be trying to establish himself because he has never started every game and has never started a season as the full-time starter. The Bengals acquire in Stone a player who can force turnovers—a quality Cincinnati looks for in its safeties. In 11 starts during the previous season, Stone had seven interceptions with the Ravens.

31 years old

Previous agreement: $3 million for a year, with a $500,000 signing bonus

Why he fits with the Bengals: The Bengals are looking for a right tackle once more. In keeping with their one-year veteran contracts, Fant is a viable right tackle alternative. This year, I think the Bengals will select a lineman in the first round, and he will go up against Fant. Cincinnati wants to find a long-term solution and, given the great quality at tackle this year, all indicators point to them addressing this issue through the draft. Without a reliable backup plan, the Bengals won’t start the season depending on a rookie to start at tackle. Fant originates from a well-known scheme in Houston and will be on the less expensive end of the market. The offensive concept used by Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is akin to Cincinnati’s.