There's a very real possibility that the Bengals could be preparing for a dueling contract issue between Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall. Joseph, who will be entering the final year under contract, has 11 career interceptions and 68 pass deflections in four seasons. Whether or not Joseph will be a restricted free agent or unrestricted is at the mercy of whatever Collective Bargaining Agreement the owners and the NFLPA come up with. Leon Hall, who has three more interceptions than Joseph in seven less games, will be a free agent after the 2011 season. If the Bengals want to keep both, it's more than likely they'll have to dig in their pockets and they'll have to start soon.
The question is if the Bengals plan on only keeping one cornerback, which one should it be? Personally, I think it would be a mistake if the Bengals let either one of them go. Both cornerbacks, who are still very young, make big improvements every season and many analysts consider Hall and Joseph to be one of the best cornerback duos in the NFL.
However, Florida cornerback Joe Haden, projected to be a first-round draft pick, has drawn interest with the Bengals. National Football Post's Aaron Wilson writes that Haden will visit the Cincinnati Bengals. No date is written. But it does make you wonder. Would the Bengals entertain a first-round cornerback if they plan on keeping Joseph and Hall?