The Bengals may be headed toward another familiar contract crossroads, and this one centers on a player who doesn’t always grab the headlines.
As Cincinnati gets ready for another season, the obvious concern remains Joe Burrow’s health. Keep the quarterback upright, and the path to a deep playoff run gets a lot clearer. But the Bengals have another issue worth watching closely, and it could become a real story as the year unfolds.
That situation involves cornerback DJ Turner.
In a Wednesday piece for ESPN, Jeremy Fowler highlighted a group of NFL players worth tracking next offseason if they don’t land extensions. Turner made that list for Cincinnati, and Fowler didn’t sugarcoat where things stand.
He wrote that "Turner is an underrated cover man out of the AFC North. But this deal has virtually no chance to get done before Week 1, barring a massive and unexpected uptick. It isn't close, and Turner is poised to play out his rookie deal."
Fowler also pointed to a path the Bengals have taken before. "If Cincinnati follows its own blueprint, it will franchise-tag Turner as it did with another star defensive back, Jessie Bates III, in 2022. Bates had to play on the tag, before reaching a four-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency."
If Turner reaches free agency, Fowler said he would be "in line for a large payday."
For now, the biggest takeaway is that this may not be a deal that gets solved anytime soon. And if it doesn’t, the franchise tag looks like the most realistic next move.
In Other News...
Bengals Suddenly Have A Week 1 Concern Fans Didn't Want
Tee Higgins missed Wednesdays practice with a heel contusion, giving the Bengals a little early-season unease as they turn toward Week 1. The expectation inside the building is still that Higgins will be ready for the opener, but any absence involving one of Joe Burrows top targets is enough to get attention this close to the start of the season.
JaMarr Chase also sat out with a hyperextended knee, though he is anticipated to play in the opener as well. Both injuries came during preseason activities, which makes this more of a timing issue than a long-term alarm, but Cincinnati would obviously prefer to get through the final stretch of preparations without any more setbacks for its receiving corps. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals May Have Found A Real Swing Tackle Option Already
The Bengals finished filling out their 16-player practice squad by adding offensive tackle Blake Freeland, cornerback Trikweze Bridges and defensive end Garmon Randolph, but Freeland is the name that stands out for the line. A former BYU standout and 2023 fourth-round pick of the Colts, the 25-year-old arrives with real NFL experience after appearing in 16 games and making nine starts as a rookie.
For Cincinnati, the appeal is obvious at a spot where depth can disappear quickly. Freeland also logged 153 preseason snaps recently, giving the Bengals another look at a player who could fit as a swing tackle if needed, and his addition at least gives the organization a viable option to develop while the rest of the roster settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals May Be Repeating A Risky Contract Mistake Again
A familiar Bengals question is starting to surface again as the team weighs when to get a deal done for one of its key players. An NFL insider raised concerns that Cincinnati could be risking the same kind of contract timing issue it has faced before, with salary cap pressure potentially nudging the club toward a delay instead of moving early. For a team that has spent plenty of time trying to keep its core intact, the decision carries added weight.
The backdrop matters because Cincinnati is also sorting through injury updates and hearing more from players about where the team stands heading into the next stretch. Those little signals can shape how urgently the front office wants to act, especially when the roster outlook and the cap sheet are both in play. The bigger question now is whether the Bengals will treat this as a routine offseason negotiation, or as another one of those moments where waiting too long could make the outcome more complicated. [Read more 🡒]