The Bengals have built a roster good enough to dream big again, but that also means every spot matters. With Cincinnati going all-in for a Super Bowl this offseason, the front office has to squeeze value wherever it can - and that means making some uncomfortable choices before the 2026 season.
There’s no shortage of players who can be squeezed out, but three names stand out as the clearest salary-cap cuts: Drew Sample, McKinnley Jackson, and Cody Ford.
At tight end, Jack Endries’ early push makes Sample look more and more like a luxury the Bengals don’t need. The rookie seventh-round pick already flashed in preseason with a 4-yard touchdown in his debut, and the appeal is obvious.
Endries brings more athleticism, more receiving upside, and enough blocking ability to help Cincinnati operate under center and in 12 personnel down the line. Sample, meanwhile, is a solid blocker and a respectable presence in the room, but the source of his value has worn thin.
Moving on would save $2.85 million.
Jackson’s situation feels even more precarious. The Bengals already waived third-round receiver Jermaine Burton in December, and Jackson could follow the same path as another disappointing 2024 draft pick.
He held up well enough in limited action late last season, but the roster math is brutal. Cincinnati’s trade for Dexter Lawrence and its investment in T.J.
Slaton push Jackson down to the No. 3 nose tackle spot, and rookie Landon Robinson is making things even tighter. Robinson has shown he can line up at 3-technique, at nose tackle, and even take reps at fullback, which could make the Bengals comfortable enough to let Jackson go.
That move would clear $1.3 million.
Then there’s Cody Ford, who may simply be the odd man out in an offensive line shuffle that has Jalen Rivers moving from failed right guard to left tackle. Ford is the default swing tackle option, but that’s more about tenure than impact.
The Bengals haven’t seen enough from the competition to feel great about the spot, which is why Rivers is being pushed back to his more familiar college position. Add in Brian Parker II as a new guard who can handle tackle in a pinch, and Ford starts looking expendable.
Releasing him would open up $5.45 million.
Put those three cuts together, and Cincinnati would create $22.3 million in cap space before Week 1. That kind of room could be used on a lingering big-name free agent like Bobby Wagner, or on a veteran surprise cut from another team.
Of the three, Jackson sounds like the easiest decision. Sample and Ford may be tougher sells for the coaching staff and scouting department, but the Bengals are trying to maximize a roster built to win now. At some point, sentiment has to give way to the cap.
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The concern for Cincinnati is that the answer heading into 2026 looks more like trust than a dramatic overhaul. The Bengals have not made major changes to the offensive line, instead leaning on continuity and chemistry to do the job, which leaves little margin for error in front of a quarterback whose health changes everything about the offense. Chase knows it, the locker room knows it, and until the protection holds up when it matters most, the Bengals ceiling will keep coming back to the same issue. [Read more 🡒]