The Cincinnati Bengals are almost at training camp, and the roster conversation is already circling back to the same big question: is this group good enough if it stays healthy?
That’s the backdrop as CBS Sports floated Cincinnati as a possible destination for free agent wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Jordan Dajani included the Bengals among the top landing spots for the former Pro Bowler, a move that would give Joe Burrow another proven weapon in an offense already built around Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
“Some would claim the Cincinnati Bengals have one of the best wide receiving corps in the NFL with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but apart from those two pass-catchers, it's questionable. Andrei Iosivas is the No. 3, followed by players like Mitchell Tinsley, Charlie Jones and the rookie Colbie Young. Imagine Joe Burrow operating out of 11 personnel with Chase, Higgins and then Samuel running around in the slot.”
Dajani noted that the Bengals were one of several teams tied to Samuel, along with the Las Vegas Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.
Samuel spent six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers before playing the 2025 season with the Washington Commanders. He was targeted 99 times and finished with 72 catches and five receiving touchdowns.
His best year came in 2021, when he earned All-Pro honors, led the league in yards per reception and posted the only 1,000-yard receiving season of his career.
For Cincinnati, the appeal is obvious. Samuel would give the Bengals another veteran who has already shown he can produce, and defenses would have to decide how much attention to give Chase and Higgins before worrying about what Samuel can do underneath and in the slot.
He could also serve as a veteran presence for rookie Colbie Young, who is trying to make his mark in his first NFL season.
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Tee Higgins May Have Earned His Own Bengals Touchdown Call
JaMarr Chase already has a touchdown line that Bengals fans know by heart, and it has become part of the fun whenever Cincinnatis passing game hits big. Now Tee Higgins may be next in line for a call of his own, with the conversation sparked by the upcoming Coyote vs. Acme movie and a Tweety Bird bit that feels tailor-made for a receiver who keeps finding the end zone.
Higgins has put together plenty of scoring production over the last two seasons, including a strong finish last year, which is why the idea has some traction. The suggested phrase would play off the trailers wordplay and give announcers another easy hook, though the real question is whether it catches on the way Tony Romos Chase is on the case! did for Chase. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Still Have Two Camp Holes Fans Can't Ignore
Training camp has a way of exposing the same kinds of roster questions every summer, and for Cincinnati the focus is again on two spots that could use more certainty before the pads come on. The offensive line still needs dependable depth behind the starters, and the linebacker group could use another body who can compete for snaps and hold up if injuries hit.
One path to smoothing both areas is the trade market, where a few low-cost names could make sense if the Bengals want to add competition without paying a premium. Arizona linebacker Owen Pappoe and Atlanta tackle Jack Nelson have both been floated as fits, with each viewed as the kind of move that would not force Cincinnati to spend much more than a late pick while still giving the roster a better chance to weather camp and the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]
This Bengals Rookie Could Change More Than Fans Realize At Camp
Colbie Young has barely settled into Bengals training camp, but the rookie wideout is already part of a conversation Cincinnati has been trying to sort out since spring. A fourth-round pick, Young arrives with the kind of size and catch radius that can change how a passing game looks, and he gives the Bengals another body to consider behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins as they sort through the rest of the receiver room.
The bigger question is how much room there really is for another target to carve out a meaningful role. Andrei Iosivas has been working to hold his place in the rotation, while Mike Gesickis presence gives Joe Burrow yet another option in the middle of the field. If Young can translate his camp work into steady production, Cincinnati may end up with a deeper receiving group than many expected when camp opened. [Read more 🡒]