The Cincinnati Bengals enter the 2024 offseason fresh off what can be considered a lost year. Injuries to star quarterback Joe Burrow kneecapped their dreams of another deep playoff run and they ultimately missed the postseason with a 9-8 record. However, they are still in the mix of top contenders with +1300 odds to win Super Bowl 59 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
But before Cincy gets to the 2024 campaign, it has several decisions to make in free agency. The team has the fifth-most cap space in the league and that gives the front office plenty of flexibility with the decisions that they’ll make. Below, we’ll go over the Bengals’ free agent list heading into the offseason.
2024 NFL Free Agency
Bengals free agents
WR Tee Higgins
DT DJ Reader
WR Tyler Boyd
CB Chidobe Awuzie
RT Jonah Williams
TE Irv Smith
DT Josh Tupou
OG Max Scharping
TE Drew Sample
RB Trayveon Williams
QB AJ McCarron
LB Joe Bachie
OG Cody Ford
TE Mitchell Wilcox (Restricted Free Agent)
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither
TE Tanner Hudson (Restricted Free Agent)
WR Trenton Irwin
LS Cal Adomitis (Exclusive Rights Free Agent)
LS Markus Bailey
QB Jake Browning (Exclusive Rights Free Agent)
The most notable free agent for Cincinnati is wide receiver Tee Higgins, who just completed the fourth and final year of his rookie deal. Higgins has been an excellent No. 2 option behind Ja’Marr Chase during his run, posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2021 and 2022 before a hamstring injury prevented him from notching a third straight in 2023. While the wideout has a clearly defined role with the Bengals, there’s a chance he could leave to go be the top option for another WR-hungry franchise.
The other marquee free agent for Cincinnati is right tackle Jonah Williams, who just finished the fifth-year club option year of his rookie deal. The veteran will be a hot commodity on the market and in turn, the Bengals may need to find a new starting tackle when the smoke clears.
Franchise tag options
WR Tee Higgins
Higgins is expected to be franchise tagged on a one-year deal worth $20.7 million according to The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper laid out that this could be beneficial to Higgins in 2025 with the likes of Chase, Justin Jefferson, and CeeDee Lamb expected to reset the wide receiver market with new deals of their own this offseason.