Bengals News (7/11): Poor offseason grade for Cincinnati

The Bengals certainly could have done more.

2025 NFL offseason grades: Draft, trades, more moves by team
Let’s address the receivers first. Coming off a season in which he led the league with 1,708 receiving yards on 127 receptions, Chase was certainly going to get the raise he deserved. But he really got paid. Sometimes when players receive record-breaking contracts it’s a product of natural progression, moving in line with the cap’s rise. This was not that. Chase’s $40.25 million APY extension is the highest in OverTheCap.com’s historical wide receiver contract list even if we adjust for salary cap inflation.

Bengals 1981 Season In Review
In the weeks leading up to training camp, we will look back at a few of the most pivotal seasons in Bengals history. Let’s take a journey to the not-so-distant past and look at the 2021 Super Bowl season.

2025 Taste of the Bengals Fundraiser to Support Freestore Foodbank Set For August 27
Over the last 20 years, this partnership has helped provide more than 4 million meals to hungry families in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Each ticket sold will help Freestore Foodbank provide hundreds of meals to families in our region. Other opportunities for support include the live auction, featuring experiences with Bengals players, or the silent auction and raffles. There will be unique experiences and giveaways for guests to enjoy throughout the evening as well.

Ranking NFL’s 10 best college-turned-pro teammates: Bengals, Eagles among most talented 2025 units – CBSSports.com
Brotherhood is often preached in the NFL, but is it always practiced? The best teams would certainly say so. In recent years, however, the mantra has become more literal, with championship squads like the Philadelphia Eagles not only collecting talent but prioritizing talent with proven chemistry: Think Vic Fangio’s recent title-winning defense, which featured a small army of former Georgia Bulldogs, who’d already shown they could win together by capturing a national championship in the college ranks.

Former Bengals Star T.J. Houshmandzadeh Highlights Contract Talk Frustration
“It starts to get a little personal,” Houshmandzadeh said on Nightcap. “I know when I left the Bengals, it was strictly a financial decision. I’m getting frustrated about like, y’all really offering me this? I was underpaid the last three years, and then the Bengals turn around. They signed Laveraunes Coles, got rid of him after one year. Next year, they signed Antonio Bryant. That’s what it was. So those two seasons was $24 million in guaranteed money that they gave to both of them. If they had given that to me, I would have walked from California to Cincinnati to sign that.”

Bengals have top wide receivers locked up for good reason, but depth a question after that
CINCINNATI (WKRC) – This part takes a look at the wide receiver position and who is a lock to make the 53-man roster when it’s finalized on Aug. 26, who is in a battle to make it and who are longshots to make it:

Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals Linked to Intriguing WR Trade
“After their main three wide receivers, the Bengals have a lot of questions with depth on the roster. Metchie has flashed impressive play in his Texans tenure, but he’s never been able to consistently carve out a role,” Woodroof wrote. “Houston has one of the more crowded wideout rooms in the NFL, and Metchie would be an excellent get for Cincinnati at this point in the offseason to compete for the fourth wide receiver spot on the roster. He may well win it. Particularly if injury struck, the Bengals having a solid receiver like Metchie on the roster would be pivotal.”

Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus talks Bengals stadium
“The community-facing piece of this I think that’s really important is how we use the stadium,” Driehaus said on this week’s episode of The Enquirer’s “That’s So Cincinnati” podcast.

Bengals’ big changes, contract drama leave a mark in power rankings
“I still don’t love Cincinnati’s decision to dump defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo for Al Golden this offseason, and I don’t think the Bengals have invested nearly enough in their defense or offensive line this offseason. Ongoing contract issues involving Trey Hendrickson and rookie first-round pick Shemar Stewart have me even less convinced that we’ll see a defensive turnaround in Cincy this year.”