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Bengals could field second team with players entering free agency in 2016

There are so many Bengals players heading into free agency in 2016 that Cincinnati could fill out a starting lineup for a second team.

By Josh Kirkendall
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

It's important to note that Leon Hall's big picture philosophy this week cements a depressing reality (especially for those of us emotionally invested in these players). Many of the players who have been with the Bengals won't be back next season. If the Bengals locker room wants to win a championship together in Cincinnati, this will be the year to do it.

"It could be there’s a lot of guys on our team in their last year and everybody knows not everybody is going to come back and we feel like we do have a championship team so you put those both together you almost feel like this year isn't make or break but is one of the bigger offseason and upcoming seasons we've had for a while," Hall said.

Without going into significant detail or examination, we considered the team's free agents in 2016 and figure that 27 players are entering free agency next year. Don't expect this to be the final number either; A.J. Green will play in Cincinnati, either via an extension or the franchise tag. The Bengals have developed a common sense approach re-signing some of their core players on the optimistic side of 30-years-old. Marvin Jones and George Iloka are perfect examples.

If we take the players who will enter free agency in 2016, we could almost put together a second team (NOTE: Andrew Whitworth has worked at tight end before and even caught a touchdown pass... Sanu would be used a running back).

QUARTERBACK POS AGE '15 Salary Cap STATUS
Josh Johnson QB 29 $665,000 UFA
Terrelle Pryor QB 25 - UFA
WIDE RECEIVER POS AGE '15 Salary Cap STATUS
A.J. Green WR 26 $10,176,000 UFA
Marvin Jones WR 25 $700,700 UFA
Mohamed Sanu WR 25 $1,682,813 UFA
Brandon Tate WR 27 $665,000 UFA
Denarius Moore WR 26 $665,000 UFA
OFFENSIVE LINE POS AGE '15 Salary Cap STATUS
Andre Smith RT 28 $6,362,500 UFA
Andrew Whitworth LT 33 $6,200,000 UFA
Eric Winston RT 31 $950,000 UFA
T.J. Johnson C 24 $510,000 ERFA
DEFENSIVE LINE POS AGE '15 Salary Cap STATUS
Wallace Gilberry DE 30 $2,050,000 UFA
Brandon Thompson DT 25 $795,300 UFA
Devon Still DT 25 $740,000 UFA
Pat Sims DT 29 $665,000 UFA
LINEBACKER POS AGE '15 Salary Cap STATUS
Vincent Rey OLB 27 $3,100,000 UFA
Emmanuel Lamur OLB 25 $2,356,000 UFA
Chris Carter OLB 26 $745,000 UFA
Jayson Dimanche OLB 24 $590,000 RFA
Nico Johnson ILB 24 $585,000 RFA
SAFETY POS AGE '15 Salary Cap STATUS
Reggie Nelson S 31 $4,775,000 UFA
George Iloka S 25 $1,582,075 UFA
Shiloh Keo S 27 $585,000 UFA
CORNERBACK POS AGE '15 Salary Cap STATUS
Leon Hall CB 30 $9,600,000 UFA
Adam-Pacman Jones CB 31 $2,550,000 UFA
Chris Lewis-Harris CB 26 $585,000 RFA
Brandon Ghee CB 27 $585,000 UFA

Here are the 2016 free agents, arranged by this year's salary cap:

PLAYER POS AGE '15 Salary Cap STATUS
A.J. Green WR 26 $10,176,000 UFA
Leon Hall CB 30 $9,600,000 UFA
Andre Smith RT 28 $6,362,500 UFA
Andrew Whitworth LT 33 $6,200,000 UFA
Reggie Nelson S 31 $4,775,000 UFA
Vincent Rey OLB 27 $3,100,000 UFA
Adam-Pacman Jones CB 31 $2,550,000 UFA
Emmanuel Lamur OLB 25 $2,356,000 UFA
Wallace Gilberry DE 30 $2,050,000 UFA
Mohamed Sanu WR 25 $1,682,813 UFA
George Iloka S 25 $1,582,075 UFA
Eric Winston RT 31 $950,000 UFA
Brandon Thompson DT 25 $795,300 UFA
Chris Carter OLB 26 $745,000 UFA
Devon Still DT 25 $740,000 UFA
Marvin Jones WR 25 $700,700 UFA
Brandon Tate WR 27 $665,000 UFA
Pat Sims DT 29 $665,000 UFA
Denarius Moore WR 26 $665,000 UFA
Josh Johnson QB 29 $665,000 UFA
Jayson Dimanche ILB 24 $590,000 RFA
Chris Lewis-Harris CB 26 $585,000 RFA
Shiloh Keo S 27 $585,000 UFA
Nico Johnson ILB 24 $585,000 RFA
Brandon Ghee CB 27 $585,000 UFA
T.J. Johnson C 24 $510,000 ERFA
Terrelle Pryor QB 25 - UFA

That's just about enough guys to create a starting lineup.

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