Bengals' Offseason Rumors: Who's Staying, Who's Going?
With the news of A.J. Green's $100 million contract extension, the Cincinnati Bengals have come to terms with all of their key players in time for the start of the 2017 season. That doesn't mean they're done, though. After all, there's always next year to look forward to and what better time than now to speculate on what could happen during the Bengals' offseason? With that said, here are our offseason rumors and predictions for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022.
A.J. Green
Green is one of the best receivers in the NFL and he will only be 29 years old when his contract is up. The Bengals have had success with older players like A.J. Green and Marvin Jones signing extensions before their contracts expired so it would make sense to do that again this offseason.
Vontaze Burfict
Burfict is known for his aggressive playing style and has been penalized 17 times in three seasons. He was also suspended four games in 2016 for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy. In addition to his infractions on the field, Burfict has run into trouble off the field with a history of domestic violence.
Tyler Eifert
It looks like Tyler Eifert won't be returning to the Bengals in 2020. The tight end and the team have yet to agree on a contract for 2020 and it appears as though Eifert will not be getting a new deal. He'll be a free agent after the 2019 season and will likely look for work elsewhere. As of now, he is expected to remain with Cincinnati through the 2019 season.
Dre Kirkpatrick
The Cincinnati Bengals placed the franchise tag on Dre Kirkpatrick this offseason. This makes it likely he'll be returning to the team in 2018, but not certain.
George Iloka
This offseason the Bengals are faced with a number of tough decisions. They'll have to decide whether or not they want to bring back George Iloka on a short-term deal and if they want to bring in any free agents. Iloka is one of the most important defensive players on the team and losing him would be a huge blow. Iloka has been in Cincinnati for five years and has steadily improved each year.
Adam Jones
Jones is about to enter his 15th NFL season with the Bengals. He has spent all of them with Cincinnati, which drafted him in 2005. As a player who has been on the team for so long, it would be hard to imagine Jones playing for any other team. That being said, there are rumors that he might not be back in 2020. If Jones were to leave the Bengals this offseason, they would need to find a new safety who can play alongside George Iloka.
Shawn Williams
Williams is one of the Bengals' longest-tenured players. He was drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft by Cincinnati and has played his entire career with the team. Williams missed just one game in his first five seasons and has tallied more than 100 tackles in each of those years. Williams also led or tied for the team lead in interceptions three times during that span.
