The Bengals suddenly find themselves thin at wide receiver, and the timing couldn’t be much worse.
Cincinnati lost both of its top pass-catchers in Sunday’s defeat to the Jaguars. Tee Higgins is working through a groin injury that came late in the game, while Ja’Marr Chase exited in the first quarter after suffering a concussion. That leaves the Bengals with just two healthy wideouts heading into Wednesday’s practice, and the need for help is obvious.
That’s why Tyreek Hill has entered the conversation. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, Hill is set to begin negotiating a contract soon. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told Schefter, “I would anticipate Tyreek potentially signing with a team over the next few days,”
For Cincinnati, this is the kind of swing worth taking. Chase probably won’t be out for an extended stretch, but his short-term status is up in the air.
Higgins is also uncertain. In the meantime, the Bengals need someone who can give the offense real production, and Hill would do exactly that.
Before his injury last season, Hill was solid in four games. There are still major questions around his lower body after last year’s injuries, and any team would have to do its homework before making an offer.
But if Hill is expected to get back to form once healthy, the fit is easy to see. He’d bring a straight-line deep threat to an offense already featuring Chase’s route running and Higgins’ ability to win jump balls.
That would give Joe Burrow three very different weapons, all capable of stressing defenses in their own way.
The catch, of course, is competition. The Chiefs are widely viewed as the favorites to land Hill, and a reunion in Kansas City is very much on the table. Even so, the Bengals have reason to stay aggressive and make their push over the next few days.
Hill’s résumé speaks for itself: 819 receptions, 11,363 yards and 83 touchdowns across 10 seasons. And if Cincinnati can keep him out of Kansas City in the process, that would be a bonus.
In Other News...
Joe Burrow And Zac Taylor Suddenly Sound Far Apart On Bengals Offense
After the loss to Jacksonville, the Bengals came out with two noticeably different readings of where things stand on offense. Zac Taylor pointed to the effort level and the reality of injuries, trying to keep the message forward-looking, while Joe Burrow took a harder line on accountability and pushed back on any temptation to explain away the mistakes. Its the kind of split that matters in Cincinnati because the offense is built around Burrows standard, and his interceptions only sharpened the focus on how much cleaner the unit needs to be.
Taylor also made clear he wants more from the running game, which adds another layer to an offense already trying to steady itself before the Miami Dolphins come to town. The Bengals do not have the luxury of drifting into another sloppy afternoon, and the gap between the coachs optimism and the quarterbacks urgency leaves the bigger question hanging: can the group get aligned quickly enough to show the kind of response both men expect? [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Suddenly Have A Receiver Problem They Cant Ignore
The Bengals left their Week 4 game with a receiver depth chart that suddenly looks a lot thinner than anyone in Cincinnati would have expected. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both went down with injuries, and the options behind them are now down to Dohnte Meyers and Mitchell Tinsley, a recent pickup from the Texans' practice squad. For an offense built around having top-end playmakers on the outside, that is the kind of shortage that can force a front office to move quickly.
If the Bengals decide they need outside help, the free-agent market at receiver offers a few names to at least consider while they wait on the health of their starters. The bigger question is how aggressive they want to be, because this is no longer a luxury addition or a depth-only discussion. It is a roster issue with real urgency, and it will tell a lot about how Cincinnati views its chances of riding out the next stretch without sacrificing too much at the position. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Waste A Huge Joe Burrow Night In Frustrating Loss
Joe Burrow turned in one of his biggest passing nights of the season, and it still wasnt enough to lift the Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Cincinnati fell 22-17 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a game that had the feel of a missed opportunity from the start, with Burrow piling up 428 yards through the air while the offense struggled to find balance behind him.
The Bengals were also forced to keep going without Ja'Marr Chase after he left with a concussion, which only added to the strain on an offense already leaning heavily on Burrow. The run game never gave Cincinnati much help, and a critical fourth-quarter interception helped swing the night toward Jacksonville, leaving the Bengals to wonder how a performance that strong from their quarterback could still end in frustration. [Read more 🡒]