How Many Players Will the Bengals Extend Before the Start of the Season?
· Yahoo Sports
James Rapien and Jacob Tissot of The First Word recently discussed how many contract extensions they believe the Cincinnati Bengals will complete before the start of the season. With so many extension-eligible players, including DJ Turner, Dax Hill, Myles Murphy, Chase Brown and others, there are plenty of boxes fans would like to see checked.
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Over/Under: 1.5 Bengals contract extensions signed before week 1
— First Word With James Rapien (@FirstWordCincy) June 30, 2026
"The answer should be over, it should be 2, and it should be Dax and DJ" @JamesRapienpic.twitter.com/xFOTjk46c2
Rapien set the line at 1.5 extensions, saying he would take the over and that the two players who should be signed are Dax Hill and DJ Turner. However, he tempered expectations by noting the Bengals aren’t going to pay both of them $20 million per year on their next contracts, especially with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins already earning massive deals.
If I had to give my prediction, I’d take the under at one extension signed. In fact, I’d be more likely to predict that no extensions are completed before the season than that two get done.
DJ Turner’s agent has recently posted cryptic Instagram Stories featuring stacks of money from the cartoon Tom and Jerry, seemingly signaling that a payday may be on the horizon for the young cornerback. If I had to pick the favorite to sign before the season, it would be Turner, which would be a significant move by the Bengals to lock up the 25-year-old former Michigan corner.
The next most likely candidate would be Dax Hill because he plays a premium position on defense and has put together a solid career so far. However, paying two cornerbacks that type of money is uncommon for any team, especially the Bengals. Cincinnati should be more motivated to sign Turner because he has the higher ceiling, is younger and appears more likely to break out in 2026, potentially raising his value to the point where he becomes unaffordable to the Bengals.
I’ve already shared my thoughts on Chase Brown and why I don’t believe he should receive an extension. If I’m putting myself in the Bengals’ shoes, I don’t think they’re pulling the trigger there either.
While the Bengals have been much more aggressive than in previous years with free-agent signings and trades, that doesn’t mean they’re going full Oprah: “You get a contract! You get a contract! Everybody gets a contract!”
Cincinnati is giving just under 30% of its salary cap to three players: Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The Bengals are one of only a handful of NFL teams allocating that much cap space to three players, which means they have to be extremely strategic in how they allocate the rest of their money.
If DJ Turner receives the contract many expect, he would surpass Orlando Brown Jr. as the fourth-highest-paid player on the roster, according to Spotrac.