The Cincinnati Bengals have four games left in the regular season, with one of the most important offseasons in recent memory on the horizon. The offense is in a good spot with the heavy lifting needed on the other side of the ball for a defense that is trending to be one of the worst in NFL history. This extends to every level for Al Golden’s crew, whose seat should be hot enough, truth be told. The front office rarely extends contracts before they are up, but that may change with several players overperforming expectations and their compensation level, with the salary cap set to rise again in the spring. Let’s examine three players Cincy should consider committing to long-term.
3 Players the Cincinnati Bengals Should Extend This Offseason
DJ Turner II
DJ Turner is the Bengals’ most consistent defensive player, and he’s playing at a Pro Bowl level in 2025. He leads the NFL in passes defended with 17 and also has one forced fumble, two interceptions, and 23 SOLO tackles. He’s an elite athlete with tremendous closing speed when the ball is in the air and has the physical makeup needed in the rugged AFC North. Turner is currently in the third year of his rookie deal, and the front office would be wise to lock him up, as pure cover corners are extremely rare to find in today’s game.
Joseph Ossai
When Trey Hendrickson initially went down, Joseph Ossai was thrust into a more prominent role at EDGE for the Bengals. He’s filled in admirably, and the team was prudent in re-signing him in March as he was an unrestricted free agent. Ossai has played in 60 games with 55 SOLO tackles, 14.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. He’s shown a resurgence and aims to earn a second contract, as he’s still only 25 years old. The likely departure of Hendrickson should make this an easy decision for the Brown and Blackburn families.
Chase Brown
The most under-the-radar player of the group is running back Chase Brown, who is quietly having the best season of his career. He has taken another step forward in running between the tackles, catching the ball out of the backfield, and is a threat every time he touches the ball. Brown is at 727 yards rushing with three touchdowns and should surpass 1000 for the first time. He also has 299 yards receiving and pairs extremely well with veteran Samaje Perine, whom the Bengals use on third down and in varying situations throughout a game.
Brown and Turner were in the same draft class in 2023, and both players, along with Ossai, are young and on the rise in the prime of their respective careers. It’s time for ownership to change its stripes in how it does business, and hopefully for these three, business is good.
Main Photo: Sam Greene/The Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The post 3 Players the Cincinnati Bengals Should Extend This Offseason appeared first on Last Word on NFL.