A wealth of talent from the Cincinnati Bengals is expected to become available as a free agency in 2024.
Having so many excellent players to pay out at the end of their contracts is a drawback of having such a strong draft class. Logan Wilson, Joe Burrow, and Germaine Pratt are all expected to be around for a few years, so another 2020 NFL Draft selection might be quite lucrative.
The Top 100 NFL Free Agents, along with contract projections for each, were announced by Pro Football Focus. Brad Spielberger included five Bengals in his Top 100 list.
Tee Higgins, who is ranked No. 4, is the highest. Spielberger believes Higgins will receive the franchise tag, so he doesn’t have a long-term contract breakdown.
After recording his second consecutive 1,000-yard season in 2022 with a receiving grade above 75.0, Spielberger stated that Higgins’s 2023 season has been nearly entirely limited by injuries. “A franchise tag already appeared likely going into the season, and it appears certain given the lack of new information that could influence the talks in any manner. After a dismal season, the field-stretching, jump-ball receiver ought to have the opportunity to recover in 2024 with the Bengals as a whole.
Next on the list was defensive tackle D.J. Reader of the Bengals, who came in at number 19. Spielberger has agreed to give Reader a $45.75 million, three-year contract that works out to $15.25 million annually. A total of $29.75 million is promised in that prediction.
Spielberger clarified, “The only thing that has stopped Reader in Cincinnati is injuries.” Other than that, he has been a formidable presence on the inside of a strong defensive line that has succeeded in controlling the line of scrimmage and winning key games up front in recent years. The middle anchor has been the eighth-year professional.
Even though Reader has a torn quad, PFF still seems to believe he will make a good salary.
Spielberger had Chidobe Awuzie at number 26. The anticipated deal for him.
