The Cincinnati Bengals have done an outstanding job of putting together a Super Bowl-contending roster.
Of course, just like Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane recently pointed out, a big part of their success has been due to their ability to build through the NFL Draft.
So, with young superstars like Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase still on their rookie deals, they’ve made the most of their salary cap space to revamp the roster around them and compete at the highest level.
Nonetheless, that’s a formula that’s going to last forever, and their decline might come slightly earlier than expected, perhaps even this offseason.
The Bengals will have seven notable players enter free agency in the offseason (RB Samaje Perine, TE Hayden Hurst, LB Germaine Pratt, CB Eli Apple, CB Tre Flowers, S Jessie Bates III, and S Von Bell), and most of them will gauge plenty of league-wide interest.
Take a look at a list of the Bengals notable free agents…
How can they keep a Super Bowl window open for as long as possible?@JasonMcCourty pic.twitter.com/xGPEIJ8WtW
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) January 31, 2023
There’s always a market for pass-catching backs, so Perine should get nice value in free agency, and the same can be said of elite blockers and solid pass-catching TEs such as Hayden Hurst.
Jessie Bates III is almost a lock to leave after failing to get an extension, and there should be plenty of suitors for Pratt, Bell, and Flowers.
As for Eli Apple, he’s been known more for tweeting and trolling than for actually playing lockdown defense, so the Bengals wouldn’t be that bad off if he wound up leaving, assuming any other team is willing to take a risk with him.
NEXT: The Bengals Had A Winning Record In Multiple Ways
