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According to Kelsey Conway, the Bengals are showing major interest in free agent guard Tevin Jenkins. While the interest is in its initial stages, the hole is that talks can accelerate and this could turn into a key signing for this team. The Bengals guards were among the league’s worst last season and an upgrade is sorely needed.
Alex Cappa (who the Bengals have since cut), was received just an overall ranking of 110 out of 135 guards according to PFF. He was just 107th in pass blocking and 103rd for run blocking.
Cordell Volson was better, but not by much. He was 78th overall. Volson was ranked 97th in pass protection and 52nd for run blocking.
It’s true that the main offseason focus has been on filling the many holes the Bengals defense will have going into 2025. But the fact that 2/5 of the offensive line struggled so mightily cannot be ignored. Thus, finding a solid guard must be a priority for the Bengals.
Other NFL teams are already moving in that direction. Guard Will Fries just signed a five-year, $88 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings. The Dolphins inked James Daniels to a three-year, $24 million contract yesterday. The top options at this position are quickly coming off the board.
For his part, Jenkins’ numbers are a marked improvement over anyone currently on the Bengals roster. He earned an overall PFF grade of 75.4. This put him 18th out of 135 guards. His pass-blocking grade was 75.8 (15th), and his run-blocking grade was 74.3 (20th). He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round (39th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft. He played his college ball at Oklahoma State University where he was named a First Team all Big 12 selection in 2020.
Some outlets project Jenkins to be worth somewhere around a 3-year, $31 million contract on the open market. It’s quite the price tag but it’s a clear position of need for Cincinnati. Protecting Joe Burrow has been a focus for this team for years. The line has been an issue in the past, and it can’t be allowed to slip back into the problem unit it once was. It doesn’t matter how much firepower the Bengals have if they have no time to execute in the passing game.
Other potential options at guard include Mekhi Becton, and former Bengal Kevin Zeitler. And the clock is ticking to get a deal done and make this a solid position for the Bengals roster.
The Reds are already operating with some injuries to key pieces. Last week we learned that Spencer Steer wouldn’t be playing in anymore spring training games as he was trying to nurse his shoulder back to health. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news sent straight to you! Never miss a thing.
Over the weekend, Terry Francona gave the media an injury update on Spencer Steer. The initial prognosis is not great, but there were some small bits and pieces to be optimistic about. After receiving a cortisone injection, Steer had less pain in his throwing shoulder, the one he’s having trouble with. That’s great news, obviously.
However, the bad news is, and this coming from someone that has had shoulder problems their whole life, he, once he’s able to play, will likely lose some of his power that he’s shown to have, and there’s a great chance that he won’t be able to play the outfield at all. The Reds seem to believe that he’s shown positive progession, and on Thursday, per Francona in this article by Sheldon, he will begin his swing progressions off a tee.
I think it’s safe to say Spencer Steer won’t begin the year on time, regardless, as he will likely hit the IL, but don’t tell him that, he still feels like he’ll be ready but is throwing caution on it himself saying he doesn’t want to play if he’s not 100% cause it will ultimately hurt the team. Fingers crossed, we need 7 in the lineup!
BJ Hill returns to the Cincinnati Bengals on a 3-year $33 million deal.
The Cincinnati Bengals have decided to get busy early in NFL Free Agency. BJ Hill will stay in Cincinnati, where he has spent the last four seasons as their defensive tackle. Hill has played in every game of his career as a Bengal, and has started in every game but two since 2021. Please subscribe to our Newsletter using the popup or form below so we can send you the news FIRST!
He inks a 3-year, $33 million deal to stay in the jungle where he has amassed 16 sacks, 110 tackles and 19 TFLs. Defensive tackle has been a big point of need for the Bengals. Retaining BJ Hill is a great start to the free agency period. Hill is a big body run-stopper, and will certainly be big for Cincinnati. Last season they had one of the worst run defenses in football.
Cincinnati Bengals BJ Hill waves #92
Seeing the Bengals on day one of free agency is a good indicator that they are committed team who can still make the playoffs. The Bengals still need contracts with Trey Hendrickson, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Hendrickson has already been granted permission to find a trade, but would like to remain in Cincinnati. Chase and Higgins will be due for a big payday as well. So stay tuned for more activity as the Bengals continue to try and capitalize on their Super Bowl window!
The free agency tampering period in the NFL is set to begin tomorrow at noon EST, so naturally, I have decided to post my Bengals mock off-season. In this article, I will go over everything that I see happening this off-season. Cuts, trades, free-agent signings, and a full mock draft are in store, with reasonings for everything. I am putting myself in Duke Tobin’s shoes and operating as if I am the general manager of the Bengals. While you’re here, make sure to subscribe to the NatiSports news article so you never miss an update.
Duke Tobin speaking to the media at the 2025 NFL Combine
Cuts, Extensions, and Trades
Before we begin, it’s important to note that before any moves are made by the Bengals, they have roughly $32 million in cap space.
Let’s start and go over the cuts and extensions that have happened, and more that I could see happening. Over the past couple of weeks, the Bengals have released defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and offensive guard Alex Cappa. Those moves will save $16.6 million in cap space. Sam Hubbard also retired and saved the Bengals an extra $9.6 million towards the cap. In my projected moves, I also cut Germaine Pratt and Zack Moss to save an additional $9.1 million.
With my first big move, I decided to trade All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. I traded him to the Detroit Lions, along with pick number 81, for the 60th, 133rd, and 246th pick, as well as a 2026 5th round selection. Using the PFF mock draft simulator, this in my opinion was the best return I could get for Hendrickson. The Bengals granted his ability to speak with other teams, and I see that being the most likely outcome.
Trey Hendrickson lining up as an edge rusher
All of these moves will give the Bengals roughly $83.5 million to work with heading into extensions. I decided to tag Tee Higgins and call it just that for now, costing the Bengals $26 million. An extension for Ja’Marr Chase is in the works as I write this, but it won’t go against the 2025 cap number. I expect his deal to be around $40 million per season. Mike Gesicki’s extension is 3 years, $25.5 million. $12 million comes in that first season, making the deal very favorable for the Bengals.
Free Agent Aquistions
Now let’s get into free agent aquisitions. It should be a busy couple of days for the Bengals as they look to fix the defense as well as the offensive line. I imagine they attack as hard as they did in the early 2020s.
The easy re-signings include guard Cody Ford, tight end Tanner Hudson, edge Cam Sample, linebackers Joe Bachie and Akeem Davis-Gaither, and punter Ryan Rehkow. All of those moves will cost the Bengals close to $1 million against the cap.
Ryan Rehkow punting against the New England Patriots
The re-signings up in the air that I decided to attack include Khalil Herbert ($2M), Trent Brown ($2M), and Jospeh Ossai ($4.5M).
Beginning with the external free agents, I attacked the guard positions first. I signed Will Fries ($11.5M) and Teven Jenkins ($9M). Both guards graded well using Pro Football Focus, and would be great additions to generate a stoutded offensive line.
To fill the gap created by Trey Hendrickson, I decided to sign Baron Browning from the Cardinals ($8.5M). He is a great pass rusher but is limited in the run game. It is my hope that he can generate pressure on his own paired with a draft pick. To pair up with him on the defensive line, I signed defensive tackle Poona Ford ($7.5M). He graded in the mid-80s in every category and is a very under the radar player.
Poona Ford as a Seattle Seahawks Player
I only added one linebacker, Cody Barton ($7M) who graded in the high 70s in the run, but struggled in pass coverage. Pairing him up with Akeem and Logan Wilson would make it all work.
I think that this free agent class felt a lot like the 2020/2021 class. Finding some cheap quality players hoping they turn into stars.
Mock Draft1.0
To cap off the offseason projections, I ran a mock draft. All the players are listed below at the pick they were taken. The mock draft was run through PFF.
I traded the 17th pick to Denver for the 20th and 84th pick. I gained a 3rd round pick back after trading our original pick to Detroit. Malaki Starks is a top 10 talent in this class but might fall based on his athletic testing. I would’ve taken him at 17 too, but was betting on either him, edge Mike Green from Marshall, or edge James Pearce Jr. from Tennessee would be there. All would’ve been quality picks.
Malaki Starks before his game against Florida State
Rd.2/Pick 49: Bradyn Swinson | Edge | LSU
I drafted Bradyn Swinson as he had an astonishing 22% pass rush win rate. He is great to pair up with Baron Browning.
Alfred Collins was taken with one of the picks from the Trey Hendrickson trade. He is stellar against the run and would patch that hole that DJ Reader left a few years ago.
Elijah Roberts was taken with the pick I got from trading back with Denver. He also is great in his pass rushing abilities and would be a great rotational piece.
Rd. 4/Pick 118: Gunnar Helm | Tight End | Texas
Gunnar Helm would instantly boost this tight end room which lacks talent. Mike Gesicki and Drew Sample are there, but adding Gunnar Helm would give the room an extra boost.
Another camp body with Jailin Walker. Maybe he makes it out of training camp but he graded fine in pass coverage on a great Indiana team.
Final Conclusions
To conclude our offseason mock, I want to make clear that these are moves I would persoally make. I think the Bengals could take some chances on these players, but obviously this won’t be perfect. I hope they improve the roster nonetheless. Stay with us throughout free agency for daily updates!
The Cincinnati Reds just announced today that Hunter Greene will be the 2025 Opening Day starter! With 20 days left till opening day, we knew we would get the announcement soon, and today we did! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter using the popup or form below. We’d LOVE to be the one providing you the news.
This decision will come to no surprise for almost everyone. Greene had a phenomenal season last year, earning himself an all star appearance and racking up some CY Young votes! Following this stellar season, Terry Francona is rewarding Greene by giving him the nod for opening day.
After his outing just a few days ago, that most likely solidified his start on opening day for Francona. I believe this was the right choice and I think Greene will come out ready to perform in front of all us fans on opening day!
Hunter Greene last pitched on Opening Day in 2023 where the Cincinnati Reds faced the Pittsburgh Pirates. Greene only made it through 3.1 IP before being taken out by David Bell in a game the Reds later lost 5-4, dropping their first of the season. He did have 8 Ks paired with 3 BBs but had a very high pitch count and wasn’t pushed further. Let’s hope for a better 2025 Opening Day start!
During the Reds 3-5 loss to the Rangers today Hunter Greene pitched a gem! Jacob Hurtubise continues his nice spring training and Chase Burns made his spring training debut with a stellar inning! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter using the popup or form below. We’d LOVE to be the one providing you the news.
Hunter Greene Silencing the Doubters!
Hunter Greene was the starter for today’s spring training game in which he had an amazing outing. Greene went 4 IP with 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, and 6 Ks! After having a rough start to this year’s spring training Greene had a great bounce back game today! Greene absolutely dominated all of the Rangers hitters in the 4 innings he pitched today with all of his pitches performing to perfection! Greene also topped out his fastball today at 101 MPH which is always awesome! Today was great to see from Greene, as people were getting worried about him due to his previous starts but Greene was just knocking off the rust!
Quite the spring outing for HG:
🔴 4 innings, 0 runs, 6 strikeouts 🔴 49 pitches, 37 strikes 🔴 Topped out at 101 MPH pic.twitter.com/j2yvOKxEuC
Jacob Hurtubise continued his quiet but really successful spring today! Hurtubise went 1-2 today with an RBI single and a walk, bringing his average up to a .583! Hurtubise had a rough time in his stint with the Reds last season slugging .185/.297/.241. He’s trying to prove that he should be given another shot with the Reds this year and help them win some ballgames. With the Reds limited outfielders it may not hurt to reward him with a spot on the opening day team!
Chase Burns Making His Spring Training Debut!
Chase Burns made his first appearance in spring training today! Burns came in to pitch in the top of the 9th and did great! Burns faced 4 batters giving up no hits, 1 walk, and 3 Ks. The first batter he struck out looking on a 100 MPH fastball on the outside half of the plate. Burns then struck out the last two swinging! One of them on his slider and the other on another 100MPH fastball. Overall he looked very strong in the one inning we saw him for today and I am looking forward to seeing more of the Reds 2nd overall draft pick! You can watch his 3 Ks below:
As if the Cincinnati Reds needed some bad news, but they are getting some anyway. Another season, another season of injuries for guys that are labeled promising. And if you’re like us, you’re even more frustrated because now there’s a piece less to trade from when it comes to acquiring more talent, should we need it. Be sure to subscribe to our Newsletter using the popup or below to get the latest information!
Cincinnati Reds talented first round pick in 2022 with the 18th selection, Cam Collier, is going to miss ‘significant’ time after suffering a thumb injury in spring training. Jim Day called it ‘not good news’ and mentioned that the initial x-rays supported that as well. It is sounding like he is going to miss significant time.
The latest update on Cam was that he was “going to see a specialist” – folks, if you follow MLB and the Reds in specific, anytime you hear a player is going to ‘see a specialist’ that means for surgery, so you can all but confirm Cam Collier likely won’t be playing until late May at the earliest. Another piece that the Reds have stored in excess that will be unavailable to play / trade from, just like Edwin Arroyo was last year…
And just to clarify, I’m not insisting the Reds should trade Cam at all, but it genuinely hurts the club in more ways than one. He was sought after at the winter meetings, and he would’ve been a prime piece to consider moving given the lack of room for him in the future, but he’s still 20 years old and will be for the whole season and was already in big league camp. Let’s hope for a SPEEDY recovery!
Cam Collier’s 2025
Cam Collier had the honor of representing the Cincinnati Reds at the MLB Futures game last summer where he hit a bomb at. He then had the honor to get a big league invite to spring training, some of which he was in up until getting hurt, and then sent down with the MiLB roster cuts. He had 1 hit in spring in 8 ABs.
The Cincinnati Reds just won’t stop hitting! The Reds had two spring training games today playing the Rockies and Dodgers. Benson and Stephenson had a nice show of power earlier today and Elly De La Cruz is on another level! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter using the popup or form below. We’d LOVE to be the one providing you the news.
Will Benson and Tyler Stephenson showing off the Power!
Although the Reds lost 5-9 earlier today against the Rockies, Benson and Stephenson went back to back! Both of them absolutely destroyed the ball! Tyler Stephenson started off the 6th inning with a 418 ft solo shot to left center field! Stephenson has had a nice spring so far and has been proving to everyone that he should be in top 5 slots of the lineup! Very excited to watch him in this upcoming season. You can watch Stephenson’s HR below:
Will Benson hit a moonshot today immediately following Stephenson’s solo blast! Benson’s HR was smoked hitting the ball 465 ft with an exit velo of 114.4 MPH! This was great to see from Benson who is coming off a very rough season last year and is hoping to prove that he should be in the outfield for the Reds in 2025. While he still may have a bit more to prove, this was certainly nice to see! You can watch Benson’s moonshot below: (Peep the bat flip👀)
Although tonight’s game resulted in a 2-4 loss to the Dodgers, the Reds started the game off strong! TJ Friedl hit a leadoff double, followed by an RBI single from Elly De La Cruz! Austin Hays then followed up the single from De La Cruz with an RBI triple that nearly left the yard! In the top of the 2nd Noelvi Marte hit a double, which was nice to see with his struggles seemingly continuing into the spring. Chase Petty also had a great outing with 3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, and 4 Ks. Great to see a game like this from Petty, especially against the Dodgers! All of this is great to see considering we are just 23 days away from opening day!!
🔴 Leadoff double from Friedl 🔴 RBI single from De La Cruz 🔴 RBI triple from Hays
Following his RBI single earlier in the game De La Cruz came up for the third time in the top of the 6th inning. De La Cruz faced Dodgers new RHP Roki Sasaki in his spring training debut and ripped an opposite field double right down the left field line! De La Cruz ended the day 2-3 with an RBI bringing his spring totals up to a slashline of .563/.650/1.385. To say De La Cruz is locked in is an understatement. He is having a heck of a spring and I for one cannot wait to see what the regular season holds for him!
As the combine is wrapping up, we have a Bengals update on extending the big three. Some of it is good, while some of it is a tad concerning. The best news is that the Bengals are actively trying to extend all three. In this article, I’ll go in depth with where they stand and what I’d personally do with all three. And while you’re here, make sure you subscribe to the Nati Sports Newsletter to never miss an update!
Ja’Marr Chase is not Pleased
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Bengals have made an offer to Ja’Marr Chase, but the two remain far apart. This is not ideal news, as the Bengals want to get this done as quickly as possible. Duke Tobin went on record this week saying Ja’Marr Chase will be the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL after they extend him. I am hearing that the annual number ranges anywhere from $38 to 41 million. The guarantees are still being worked out, but I can practically guarantee he will be extended before the 2025 season begins.
The smartest move was to extend him before the 2024 season. It could have saved the Bengals at least $5 million on the annual number. Now Ja’Marr has a first-team all-pro season under his belt, winning the triple crown and racking up over 1,700 yards. The Bengals need to open up the checkbook and get their best offensive player under contract.
The Hope with Tee Higgins
The Bengals and Tee Higgins have been in negotiations for about three years now. Not good news in that regard. They should have had him extended many, many years ago and saved a handful of dollars. After a rocky relationship with former agent David Mulugheta of Athletes First, Tee Higgins has switched agents to be with Ja’Marr. I can confirm that the Bengals are eager to extend Tee Higgins after multiple years of trying, and the feeling is mutual on both sides.
It sounds to me like they will pay him north of $25 million per season. I could see it extending him through the 2027 season, locking him down for an additional 3 years. The Bengals need to work quickly with this as free agency opens on Monday, March 10th. They will more than likely apply the tag.
Trey Hendrickson against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18
Where Does Trey Hendrickson Fall?
The Bengals and Trey Hendrickson remain the most unclear situation. The first-team all-pro and NFL sack leader is looking for some financial security. And the Bengals want to get something done. However, Trey Hendrickson is entering his age-30 season. While he has shown no signs of slowing down, it makes it harder to guarantee three or four more years of the same production.
If I was the general manager of the Bengals, I would offer him a two-year extension, making him the highest-paid edge in the league. New defensive coordinator Al Golden will need as many pieces as possible, and getting rid of Trey would be a huge pill to swallow. There is also a scenario where the Bengals obtain a few draft picks for Hendrickson and draft or sign his replacement. As hard as that would be to swallow, it would make sense from a business standpoint. Regardless, Hendrickson will go down as one of the best pass rushers in team history.
The Plan for 2025
We’re always thankful when we have a Bengals update on extending the big three. The Bengals are going to work tirelessly to make sure all three of these guys are on the 2025 roster. It will be tough, but they have the money to get it done. The key to success in the NFL is to retain your star players. Quarterback Joe Burrow has adamantly stated his case for keeping all three, and the Bengals best keep their franchise happy. Hopefully, they will make the right decisions. It’ll be an interesting couple of weeks, so stay tuned.
The Reds just won’t stop hitting! In today’s Cincinnati Reds spring training game the Reds won 9-4! Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, and CES all hit a home run to lead the team to the win!
Elly is Locked In!
De La Cruz once again hit a home run! This one being from the left side of the plate and his third of the spring already! De La Cruz went 2-3 on the day with an RBI double in the first and the HR coming in the fifth inning. De La Cruz has come out firing this spring and shows no signs of slowing down. This could be due to him switching his swing up in the offseason a tad, which so far seems to be working! Below you can watch his HR from today, his third home run of the spring:
After missing out on a full season last year, McLain is back and healthy! Following a 1-3 game yesterday where he recorded an RBI single (with the highest exit velocity of his career at 112 MPH!), McLain had a 3-3 game today with a leadoff double in the first, another double in the third, and a two run homer in the fifth! McLain is reminding everyone why he is the starting second baseman and absolutely vital to this Reds team. You can watch McLain’s HR below:
CES launched his first home run of the spring today with an absolute shot to left field! Strand, who dealt with a broken wrist for the first few months of the season, is back and healthy. After fully recovering from surgery Strand is looking to have a nice season and be a big power bat the Reds need! A healthy Strand would be huge for the Reds as he fills the first base spot and could very easily slug 25+ HRs this season. You can watch Strand’s HR below as well:
With 29 days to go till Opening Day the Reds are looking to keep this going! The Reds could be a very scary team if their offense keeps playing like this combined with this rotation. Especially with Tito running the show. Other teams better watch out this season! Here’s hoping to seeing a lot more of what we saw today! Go Reds!
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