Throughout training camp and the preseason, much of the attention surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals was focused on Dexter Lawrence’s immediate impact on the defense and the growing pains of the offense implementing an under-center element to their playbook.
But you know what didn’t get a lot of attention? Players eligible for contract extensions. That’s refreshing, after how the last, really, five offseasons have been.
Cornerbacks DJ Turner and Dax Hill, and running back Chase Brown, are all eligible
for contract extensions going into this season. With only four days until kickoff in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the question now is: Will any of these three players get paid before the Bengals open their 2026 campaign?
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler joined First Word with James Rapien on the Crown Network on Wednesday morning to discuss the situation surrounding Turner and Hill as well as Brown,
Here is what Fowler said about the Bengals’ two cornerbacks.
“I don’t sense much hope here. DJ Turner was the one where I pretty much earmarked as a no-green-light here,” Fowler said on the show, later adding, “I don’t expect a deal for him, so he’ll play it out, and then you’re looking at doing really well in free agency, or he could get the franchise tag, which Cincinnati has done in the past.”
The running back position is a little different, as it relates to the Bengals. Chase Brown isn’t quite at the level that fellow 2023 NFL Draft class running backs Jahmy Gibbs and Bijan Robinson are, with both of those guys signing extensions this offseason. Robinson’s contract is $25 million per year. Brown’s contract extension would likely not reach that average annual value, but he could still sign an extension with the Bengals.
Here is what Fowler says about the contract situation involving Chase Brown.
“I haven’t heard of anything hard and fast about an extension for some of those players, but they’re certainly workable if Cincinnati wants to get aggressive here,” Fowler concluded. “Chase Brown, who I think will have a big year, and the running back money is a little more reasonable than some of these other positions. So yeah, he’s certainly a player that I had on my list, at least as somebody who could get an extension at some point.”
Sounds like a deal with Brown could be reached if the Bengals were agressive with it, but for now, it doesn’t appear they are.
The clock is ticking on these extensions, even if they’re not a major headline. It’s good that they’re not a distraction, but it is a simmering question as we head into Week 1.
